Week in Sports

TOP SPORTING EVENTS: DECEMBER 15-JANUARY 2

“Crash” was a movie set in Los Angeles, and it was UCLA’s theme Tuesday night the Bruins crashed the boards and scored a 61-49 victory over UCSB in a women’s basketball game at the Thunderdome.

Jasmine Dixon, a former prep All-American at Long Beach Poly who transferred from Rutgers, made her debut as a UCLA sophomore with a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds. The Bruins scraped down 24 offensive rebounds and enjoyed a 46-31 overall advantage on the boards.

Meagan Williams paced the Gauchos with 18 points, and Jordan Franey added 14. The two seniors also led the team in rebounds with six each. Junior center Mekia Valentine, UCSB’s leading scorer on the season, was hampered by foul trouble and finished with two points. She did block seven shots she ranks third in the nation in that category and handed out four assists.

UCSB hit four 3-point baskets in the first half and had a nine-point lead (17-8) midway through the period. The Bruins finished the half on a 6-0 run and took a 27-24 lead at the break. With four minutes remaining in the game, the Gauchos were still within three points (46-43), but Doreena Campbell hit a pair of 3-pointers to boost the visitors to a double-digit lead.

“A few more stops, a few more scores, and things could have been different,” UCSB coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I was proud of our effort. We had guts.”

Franey said, “Having a team of (UCLA’s) caliber coming into our gym can only set us up for the future.”

The Gaucho women (3-6) will host Pepperdine on Sunday afternoon. UCLA improved to 5-3.

Tuesday, December 15

High school girls water polo Buena at Dos Pueblos, 3:15 p.m.

High school boys basketball Atascadero at Santa Barbara, 7 p.m.

College women’s basketball UCLA at UCSB, Thunderdome, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, December 16

High school girls soccer San Luis Obispo at San Marcos, 5 p.m.

Thursday, December 17

High school girls soccer Camarillo at Santa Barbara, 5 p.m.

High school boys basketball Lakewood at Dos Pueblos, 6:30 p.m.; Lompoc at San Marcos, 7 p.m.

Friday, December 18

High school boys soccer St. Francis at Santa Barbara, 4 p.m.

High school girls water polo Coronado at Dos Pueblos, 5 p.m.; Rosary at Santa Barbara, 6 p.m.

High school boys basketball Jim Bashore Holiday Cage Classic at Carpinteria: Channel Islands vs. Santa Ynez, 3:30 p.m.; Cabrillo vs. Nordhoff, 5 p.m.; Rio Mesa vs. Bishop Dieo, 6:30 p.m.; Fillmore vs. Carpinteria, 8 p.m.

College men’s basketball UCSB at Montana State, 6 p.m.

Saturday, December 19

High school girls water polo Coronado at Santa Barbara, 10 a.m.; Rosary at Dos Pueblos, 11 a.m.

High school boys basketball Jim Bashore Holiday Cage Classic at Carpinteria: Fillmore vs. Channel Islands, 12 p.m.; Cabrillo vs. Bishop Diego, 1:30 p.m.; Nordhoff vs. Rio Mesa, 3 p.m.; Carpinteria vs. Santa Ynez, 4:30 p.m.

High school girls basketball Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions: Games include Oxnard at San Marcos, 12:30 p.m.; Redwood Christian at Dos Pueblos, 5:45 p.m.; Sacred Heart Prep at Santa Barbara, 7:30 p.m.

College men’s basketball Westmont at CSU Maritime, Vallejo, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, December 20

College women’s basketball Pepperdine at UCSB, Thunderdome, 2 p.m.

Monday, December 21

High school boys basketball Jim Bashore Holiday Cage Classic at Carpinteria: Santa Ynez vs. Fillmore, 3 p.m.; Rio Mesa vs. Cabrillo, 4:30 p.m.; Channel Islands vs. Carpinteria, 6 p.m.; Bishop Diego vs. Nordhoff, 7:30 p.m.

High school girls basketball Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions: Second-round games at Santa Barbara, San Marcos and Dos Pueblos gyms, 10:45 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

College men’s basketball Westmont at Menlo, 4 p.m.; UCSB at Arizona State, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, December 22

High school boys basketball Jim Bashore Holiday Cage Classic at Carpinteria: Final games at 3, 4:30, 6 and 7:30 p.m. (championship).

High school girls basketball Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions: Semifinal games at Santa Barbara, San Marcos and Dos Pueblos gyms, 10:45 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, December 23

High school girls basketball Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions: Final games at Santa Barbara, 10:45 a.m. (Green consolation), 12:30 p.m. (Gold consolation), 2:15 p.m. (Green third place), 4 p.m. (Gold third place), 5:45 p.m. (Green championship), 7:30 p.m. (Gold championship).

Monday, December 28

College men’s basketball UCSB vs. Furman at Berkeley Golden Bear Classic, 5 p.m.

College women’s basketball UCSB at Idaho, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, December 29

High school girls soccer Harvard-Westlake at Santa Barbara, 5 p.m.

College men’s basketball Tom Byron Classic at Westmont: Central (Iowa) vs. Westminster (Pa.), 5:30 p.m.; Concordia (Neb.) vs. Westmont, 7:30 p.m.; UCSB at Berkeley Golden Bear Classic.

College women’s basketball Westmont vs. Trinity International (Ill.) at Riverside, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, December 30

College men’s basketball Tom Byron Classic at Westmont: Consolation game, 5:30 p.m.; Championship game, 7:30 p.m.

College women’s basketball UCSB at Gonzaga, 6 p.m.; Westmont vs. Michigan-Dearborn at Riverside, 6 p.m.

Friday, January 1

Running Resolution Day 5K & 10K Runs, Palm Park, 8 a.m. Sign-up information.

Saturday, January 2

College women’s basketball UC Irvine at UCSB, Thunderdome, 2 p.m.; Westmont at San Diego Christian, 5:30 p.m.

College men’s basketball UCSB at UC Irvine, 7 p.m.; Westmont at San Diego Christian, 7:30 p.m.