Week in Sports

TOP SPORTING EVENTS: FEBRUARY 10-22

Al Scates has UCLA on top of the college men’s volleyball rankings, as he has so many times during his incomparable 50 years as coach of the Bruins. This is his last season, and tonight (Fri., Feb. 10) Scates makes his last appearance on the bench at UCSB’s Robertson Gym. UCLA (11-1) takes on the Gauchos (3-6) in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match at 7 p.m.

UCLA has won 19 NCAA championships under Scates, who would like nothing better than to make it 20 in his final go-around.

Rob Gym is the site of one of the most memorable events in the ascent of the Bruins’ dynasty. UCSB hosted the 1974 NCAA final against the Bruins, and the Gauchos took a 6-1 lead in the fifth and deciding set. But UCLA rallied to win an epic battle, 10-15, 15-8, 10-15, 15-11, 15-12. It was the fourth title won by the Bruins in the first five years that the NCAA sponsored men’s volleyball, and they again defeated UCSB at Pauley Pavilion in the 1975 final.

UCLA swept Penn State to win its19th championship in 2006. Scates has not been in the NCAA finals since then. UCSB had its most successful season against its nemesis last year, defeating the Bruins on three occasions, by a 3-1 margin each time. The Gauchos came close to their first NCAA championship, as they lost the final to Ohio State, 3-2. Coach Rick McLaughlin’s team is in a rebuilding mode this year, while Scates has an experienced lineup, including Jeremy Casebeer of Santa Barbara.

In a late addition to the Friday sports menu, Dos Pueblos will host Santa Barbara High at 7 p.m. in a girls basketball game. The winner will claim third place in the Channel League. The Dons and Chargers tied for third in the regular season standings.

UCSB also will host a pair of basketball games on Saturday at the Thunderdome. The Gaucho women, who ended a four-game losing streak with a solid 52-29 victory over Cal State Fullerton on Thursday, will face Cal State Bakersfield at 2 p.m. The Gaucho men, who were stung by UC Riverside in overtime last month, try to return the favor against the Highlanders in a 7:30 p.m. game to be televised on Fox Sports Net.

High school teams in three winter sports – basketball, soccer and girls water polo – will enter the CIF Southern Section playoffs next week.

Friday, February 10

High school boys basketball – Midland at Cate, 5 p.m.; Dunn at Laguna Blanca, 6:30 p.m.

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

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

Saturday, February 11

College women’s tennis – UC Davis at UCSB, 11 a.m.

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

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

Monday, February 13

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

Tuesday, February 14

High school girls soccer – CIF playoffs: Bishop Diego at Santa Fe, 3 p.m.

High school girls water polo – CIF playoffs: Godinez (Santa Ana) at San Marcos, 5 p.m.

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

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

Wednesday, February 15

High school girls water polo – CIF playoffs: Edison or Peninsula at Santa Barbara, 5 p.m.; Mira Costa at Dos Pueblos, 6 p.m.

High school boys basketball – CIF playoffs: Hawthorne at San Marcos, 7 p.m.; Lennox Academy at Bishop Diego, 7 p.m.; Santa Barbara at West Torrance, 7 p.m.; Cate at San Gabriel Academy, 7 p.m.; Laguna Blanca at Pacifica Christian, 7 p.m..

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

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

Thursday, February 16

High school boys soccer – CIF playoffs: Santa Barbara at Royal, 3 p.m.; San Marcos at Los Alamitos, 3 p.m.; Arroyo Grande or Arroyo at Carpinteria, 3 p.m.; Newbury Park Adventist at Cate, 3 p.m.

High school girls water polo – CIF playoffs: Carpinteria at Pasadena Poly, 5 p.m.

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

High school girls basketball – CIF playoffs: Santa Barbara at Rio Mesa, 7 p.m.; Carpinteria at St. Bonaventure, 7 p.m.; Bishop Diego at Glendale Holy Family, 7 p.m.; Providence Hall at Newbury Park Adventist, 7 p.m.

Friday, February 17

College baseball – Oregon State at UCSB, 2 p.m.

High school girls soccer – CIF playoffs: Royal at Dos Pueblos, 3 p.m.; San Marcos at Arcadia, 3 p.m.; Carpinteria at Katella, 3 p.m.

High school boys basketball – CIF playoffs.

Saturday, February 18

College baseball – Oregon State at UCSB (2), 11 a.m.

College men’s tennis – SMU at UCSB, 1 p.m.

High school girls water polo – CIF playoffs.

College women’s basketball – UCSB at UC Irvine, 4 p.m.; L.A.Pierce at SBCC, 5 p.m.; Concordia at Westmont, 5:30 p.m.

College men’s basketball – UCSB at Utah State, 6 p.m.; L.A. Pierce at SBCC, 7 p.m.; Concordia at Westmont, 7:30 p.m.

High school girls basketball – CIF playoffs: Righetti at Dos Pueblos, 7 p.m.

Sunday, February 19

College baseball – Oregon State at UCSB, 1 p.m.

Monday, February 20

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

Tuesday,February 21

High school boys soccer – CIF playoffs.

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

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

High school boys basketball – CIF playoffs.

Wednesday, February 22

High school girls water polo – CIF semifinals.

High school girls soccer – CIF playoffs.

High school girls basketball – CIF playoffs.

College men’s basketball – UCSB at Long Beach State, 8 p.m.

RUNNING, WALKING, CYCLING

Sunday, February 19 – Carpinteria Kiwanis Winter Warm Up 5K, Viola Field, 8 a.m. active.com.

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

Saturday, March 10 – Solvang Century, 100- and 50-mile rides, Hotel Corque, 400 Alisal Road, 6:30 a.m. bikescor.com