The UC Irvine Men’s Basketball team (16-8, 9-3) fell to the UC Santa Barbara (16-8, 9-4) Gauchos 84-79 on national television, in front of 3,908 people at The Thunderdome in Santa Barbara on Feb. 7.
UCI and UCSB had previously matched up at The Thunderdome on March 8, 2025, where the Anteaters saw a victory of 97-88.
The game started as redshirt sophomore guard Jurian Dixon made a jumper to put UC Irvine up 2-0. UCSB responded with a layup from senior guard Aidan Mahaney to tie the game at two.
UCI once again jumped out ahead 4-2 as a result of a layup from senior forward Kyle Evans. UCSB responded quickly with a layup of their own from freshman guard CJ Shaw to tie the game at four.
Evans continued his scoring on the next play to put the Anteaters up 6-4. Mahaney responded right back with a jumper to tie the game again at six.
On the next play, UCI started to create some distance, as redshirt junior forward Harrison Carrington made a jumper to put the Anteaters up 8-6.
The ‘Eaters were able to hold a slim lead until around the four minute mark of the first half, where redshirt junior forward Colin Smith hit a three-pointer to put the Gauchos up 26-24.
On the next play, UCI redshirt freshman guard Jovan Jester Jr. made two free throws to tie the game at 26.
A minute later Smith made a jumper to put the Gauchos ahead 28-26.
The first half ended with a six point Gaucho lead of 34-28, which extended into a ten point lead in the early portions of the second half.
At the 15:34 mark in the second half, Gaucho graduate student forward Hosana Kitenge committed a foul on Jester Jr. by causing him to fall following a steal. Two made free throws from Jester Jr. cut the lead to 45-32.
With 10:10 remaining in the game, UCI’s head coach Russell Turner and UCSB’s head coach Joe Pasternack were both given technical fouls following arguments with the officials. Turner was then given a second technical foul and had to be escorted out of the game by security. Assistant coach Ali Ton then assumed the role of the head coach for the Anteaters. Following two made free throws from Mahaney, the Anteaters were down by 18.
Tensions continued to flare with 7:57 remaining in the contest, as Mahaney was called for a technical foul as a result of taunting. Graduate student guard Andre Henry made two free throws from the foul to cut the lead to 64-45.
UC Irvine would continue to attempt to cut the 19 point lead, and would be successful to a certain extent. However, the effort could only go so far as the Anteaters fell to the Gauchos 84-79, a five point margin.
Mahaney led the Gauchos with 21 points, two rebounds, three assists and a steal.
Henry led for the Anteaters with 18 points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal.
The Anteaters will head towards San Luis Obispo, Calif. to take on Cal Poly in a conference matchup on Feb. 12.
Jack Fedor is the 2025-2026 Sports Editor. He can be reached at jfedor@uci.edu.
Edited by Benjamin Flores, Geneses Navarro
