SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — In an intense conclusion to the regular season, UC Irvine secured a 97-88 victory over UC Santa Barbara on Saturday night, with a standout performance from Jurian Dixon, who scored 23 points. Dixon had an impressive shooting display, hitting 6 of 9 shots from the field, including 2 of 3 from three-point range, and was perfect at the free-throw line, making all nine attempts for the Anteaters. UC Irvine, with a record of 27-5 overall and 17-3 in the Big West Conference, saw further contributions from Devin Tillis, who added 21 points while shooting 8 of 11, with two three-pointers made on three tries, and converting all three free throws he took. Tillis also grabbed six rebounds, while teammate Justin Hohn chipped in with 17 points, hitting 7 of 17 shots, including a couple from beyond the arc.
On the opposing side, UC Santa Barbara, which holds a 19-12 record and went 11-9 in conference play, was spearheaded by Deuce Turner, who managed to put up a game-high 28 points. The Gauchos also benefited from Colin Smith’s 18 points, along with Stephan D. Swenson’s contribution of 13 points, six rebounds, and four assists, providing a well-rounded effort that fell just short of victory.
Looking ahead, UC Irvine is positioned as the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Big West Conference Tournament set to begin on Wednesday in Henderson, Nevada. This seeding grants them a double-bye, straight into the semifinals on Friday. Meanwhile, UC Santa Barbara, seeded fifth, will face off against Cal State Bakersfield, the eighth seed, in the opening round of the tournament. This game will be crucial for UCSB as they aim to advance deeper into the tournament.
