UCSD Tritons (7-6, 1-0 Big West) at UCSB Gauchos (7-5, 0-2 Big West)
Santa Barbara, California; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Gauchos -5; over/under is 145.5
BOTTOM LINE: UCSB hosts the UCSD Tritons after Ajay Mitchell scored 39 points in UCSB’s 79-77 loss to the UC Riverside Highlanders.
The Gauchos have gone 5-1 in home games. UCSB ranks ninth in the Big West with 8.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Ariel Bland averaging 2.8.
The Tritons are 1-0 in conference games. UCSD scores 76.5 points and has outscored opponents by 8.7 points per game.
UCSB scores 80.5 points, 12.7 more per game than the 67.8 UCSD gives up. UCSD has shot at a 44.7% rate from the field this season, 0.6 percentage points less than the 45.3% shooting opponents of UCSB have averaged.
The Gauchos and Tritons meet Thursday for the first time in conference play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Josh Pierre-Louis is averaging 11.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Gauchos. Mitchell is averaging 20.9 points over the last 10 games for UCSB.
Bryce Pope averages 2.5 made 3-pointers per game for the Tritons, scoring 17.4 points while shooting 34.0% from beyond the arc. Francis Nwaokorie is shooting 39.1% and averaging 12.9 points over the past 10 games for UCSD.
LAST 10 GAMES: Gauchos: 7-3, averaging 81.4 points, 39.4 rebounds, 14.4 assists, 3.9 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 51.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 73.0 points per game.
Tritons: 4-6, averaging 71.4 points, 34.6 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 6.2 steals and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 41.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 67.5 points.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
ncG1vNJzZmiZoKOyuL%2BNnKamZ6OlvLPA0miaqKScmrSmecGaqqSdpJeurbiMppynq12YvK24xKCcZpqRqLimwMGao6VlaGmApq2Qa2pxaWNugad%2BkXKZm3BkarOig5ZvmZ%2BeZGw%3D