TOP SPORTING EVENTS: JANUARY 5-18

Last year’s NCAA men’s volleyball finalists, Ohio State and UCSB, will meet Friday morning (Jan. 6) in the quarterfinal round of the UCSB/asics Collegiate Invitational at Robertson Gym. At the same time (10 a.m.), the top two vote-getters on the 2012 preseason poll, BYU and UC Irvine, will square off in the Thunderdome.

Ohio State was voted No. 8 and UCSB, at No. 14, is the lowest ranked team in the tournament. Others are No. 3 UCLA, No. 6 Long Beach State, No. 10 Loyola of Chicago and No. 12 Cal State Northridge.

The host Gauchos are a youthful team with only one returning starter, junior middle blocker Dylan Davis. They hope to prove themselves like the 2011 team, which surged late in the season from a No. 10 ranking to the national championship match. Davis had eight stuffs and 11 kills in UCSB’s exhibition match Wednesday night against the visiting University of Manitoba Bisons. The Canadian team won in five games, 21-25, 20-25, 25-22, 27-25 and 15-9.

The second round of matches in the Collegiate Invitational will take place at 7 p.m. Friday. UCSB will play at Rob Gym, and the other three matches at the Thunderdome. All of Saturday’s matches will be at Rob Gym.

The premier local college team in national rankings is Westmont women’s basketball, No. 5 on the NAIA poll. The Warriors defeated No. 8 Vanguard 68-49 on the road Tuesday, improving their record to 13-1, equaling the best start in school history. They can set a record for the best record over 15 games if they beat visiting San Diego Christian on Saturday evening at Murchison Gym.

UCSB’s Gauchos, who were on the road the entire month of December, return to the Thunderdome tonight to face Cal State Fullerton, winners of seven straight games.

Thursday, January 5

High school boys soccer – Ventura at San Marcos, 5 p.m.; Buena at Santa Barbara, 5 p.m.

High school boys basketball – Kilpatrick at Bishop Diego, 7 p.m.

High school girls basketball – Buena at Santa Barbara, 7 p.m.

College men’s basketball – Cal State Fullerton at UCSB, 7 p.m.

Friday, January 6

College men’s volleyball – UCSB/asics Invitational, first round: UCSB vs. Ohio State at Robertson Gym, 10 a.m. UCLA vs. Cal State Northridge, Long Beach State vs. Loyola Chicago, and BYU vs. UC Irvine at the Thunderdome, 10 a.m. Semifinals, 7 p.m.

High school boys basketball – Santa Barbara at Dos Pueblos, 7 p.m.; Villanova Prep at Carpinteria, 7 p.m.

Saturday, January 7

College men’s volleyball – UCSB/asics Invitational, finals at Robertson Gym: 7th place, 11 a.m. Consolation (5th place), 1:30 p.m. 3rd place, 4 p.m. Championship, 6:30 p.m.

High school girls basketball – Pacifica at Dos Pueblos, 10 a.m.; Cate at Carpinteria, 4:30 p.m.

High school girls soccer – Beverly Hills at San Marcos, 10 a.m.; Cate at Carpinteria, 4 p.m.

High school boys soccer – Cate at Laguna Blanca 3 p.m.

High school boys basketball – Cate at Laguna Blanca, 4:30 p.m.

College women’s basketball – UCSB at Cal State Fullerton, 3 p.m.; Oxnard at SBCC, 5 p.m.; San Diego Christian at Westmont, 5:30 p.m.

College men’s basketball – Oxnard at SBCC, 7 p.m.; San Diego Christian at Westmont, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, January 9

Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon, Harry’s Plaza Café, 12 p.m.

Tuesday, January 10

High school girls water polo – San Marcos at Dos Pueblos, 3:15 p.m.

High school girls soccer – San Marcos at Santa Barbara, 5 p.m.; Ventura at Dos Pueblos, 5 p.m.; Bishop Diego at Carpinteria, 5 p.m.

College women’s basketball – Westmont at Biola, 5:30 p.m.

High school boys soccer – San Marcos at Santa Barbara, 7 p.m.

High school wrestling – San Marcos at Dos Pueblos, 7 p.m.

High school girls basketball – Santa Clara at Bishop Diego, 7 p.m.; Villanova Prep at Carpinteria, 7 p.m.

College men’s basketball – Westmont at Biola, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, January 11

High school boys soccer – Thacher at Cate, 3 p.m.

College men’s volleyball – Cal Baptist at UCSB, Robertson Gym, 7 p.m.

High school boys basketball – Malibu at Bishop Diego, 7 p.m.

Thursday, January 12

High school boys soccer – Santa Barbara at Dos Pueblos, 5 p.m.

High school girls soccer – Fillmore at Bishop Diego, 3:15 p.m.; Dos Pueblos at Santa Barbara, 5 p.m.; Buena at San Marcos, 5 p.m.

High school girls water polo – San Clemente at Santa Barbara, 5 p.m.; San Marcos vs. Montebello at Santa Barbara, 6 p.m.; Laguna Beach at Dos Pueblos, 6 p.m.

College men’s basketball – UCSB at UC Riverside, 7 p.m.

College women’s basketball – UC Irvine at UCSB, 7 p.m.

High school girls basketball – Santa Barbara at Dos Pueblos, 7 p.m.; Malibu at Carpinteria, 7 p.m.

Friday, January 13

High school girls water polo – Tournament of Champions at Santa Barbara and Dos Pueblos, 12:30-7:30 p.m.

High school boys basketball – Dos Pueblos at San Marcos, 7 p.m.; Santa Paula at Bishop Diego, 7 p.m.

Saturday, January 14

High school girls water polo – Tournament of Champions at Santa Barbara and Dos Pueblos, 9 a.m. Championship at Santa Barbara, 4:35 p.m.

High school girls soccer – Laguna Blanca at Cate, 2 p.m.

College women’s basketball – UC Riverside at UCSB, 2 p.m.; Hope International at Westmont, 5:30 p.m.

College men’s basketball – UC Irvine at UCSB, 7 p.m. .; Hope International at Westmont, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, January 16

Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon, Harry’s Plaza Café, 12 p.m.

Tuesday, January 17

High school girls water polo – Santa Barbara at San Marcos, 3:15 p.m.

High school girls soccer – Arroyo Grande at San Marcos, 3:15 p.m.; Villanova Prep at Bishop Diego, 3:15 p.m.; Santa Clara at Carpinteria, 5 p.m.

High school boys soccer – Buena at Dos Pueblos, 5 p.m.

College women’s basketball – The Master’s at Westmont, 5:30 p.m.

High school girls basketball – Fillmore at Bishop Diego, 7 p.m.

College men’s basketball – The Master’s at Westmont, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, January 18

High school boys soccer – Oak Park at Carpinteria, 5 p.m.

College women’s basketball – Moorpark at SBCC, 5 p.m.

College men’s basketball – Moorpark at SBCC, 7 p.m.

High school boys basketball – Bishop Diego at Carpinteria, 7 p.m.

CHARITY EVENT

Friday-Saturday, January 27-28 – UCSB-Santa Barbara Foresters fundraising dinner (Saturday) at Earl Warren Showgrounds and golf tournament (Saturday) at Glen Annie Golf Course. ucsbgauchos.com.

RUNNING, WALKING, CYCLING

Sunday, February 5 – Super Bowl 4 Miler, Stow Grove Park, 9 a.m. sbactionpro.com.

Sunday, February 26 – Roses en la Playa 5K, Leadbetter Beach, 9 a.m. sbactionpro.com.

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