Week in Sports: March 15-27

TOP SPORTING EVENTS: MARCH 15-27

UPDATE: Lubbock Christian extracted some revenge and knocked Westmont College out of the NAIA Division 1 Women’s Basketball Championships. defeating the Warriors 66-61 in a quarterfinal game Saturday at the Frankfort (Kentucky) Convention Center. Westmont ends the season with a 31-4 record and advanced further in the nationals than any other women’s basketball team in school history. Lubbock Christian (28-5) had lost at Westmont in November. Lisa Peterson led Westmont with 22 points in her last college game, and junior center Tugce Canitez had 13 points and 16 rebounds. Eighteen turnovers were Westmont’s undoing.

In other postseason basketball, UCSB’s men (20-11) lost at Idaho, 86-83, in the first round of the CollegeInsder.com Tournament. A strong second half by seniors James Nunnally (25 points in the game), Orlando Johnson (19) and Jaime Serna (17 points and 12 rebounds) could not make up for a sluggish start by the Gauchos. Johnson ended his career with a school-record 1,825 points.

The Gaucho women (17-15) will go into the NCAA women’s tournament on Sunday as heavy underdogs to top-ranked Baylor (34-0) at Bowling Green, Ohio.

UCSB moved its baseball series against Rhode Island up a day in anticipation of a weekend rainstorm. The first game will take place at 3 p.m. today (Thursday, March 15) at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium, followed by a double-header Friday starting at 11 a.m.

UCSB will host Wisconsin, Oklahoma State and San Jose State in the Gaucho Classic II softball tournament on the Campus Diamond.

The 12th annual Special Olympics Santa Barbara Basketball Tournament will be held on Sunday, March 18, at the UCSB’s Thunderdome. Five Santa Barbara teams will be joined by 30 teams from San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Simi Valley, Ventura, Santa Clarita and Tri Valley. Opening ceremonies, featuring the parade of athletes, will commence at 9 a.m.

SCHEDULE OF GAMES

Thursday, March 15

College softball – Ventura at SBCC, 2:30 p.m.

College baseball – Rhode Island at UCSB, 3 p.m.

High school track and field – Santa Barbara at San Marcos, 3 p.m.

High school boys volleyball – San Marcos at Dos Pueblos, 6 p.m.

Friday, March 16

College softball – Gaucho Classic II: Wisconsin at UCSB, 9 a.m.; Oklahoma State at UCSB, 4 p.m.

College women’s basketball – NAIA National Championships at Frankfort, Kentucky, second round: Westmont vs. Saint Xavier (Illinois), 9:30 a.m. PDT.

College baseball – Rhode Island at UCSB (2), 11 a.m.; Hancock at SBCC, 2:30 p.m.

High school swimming – Santa Barbara and Fountain Valley at Dos Pueblos, 2 p.m.; Oxnard at San Marcos, 3 p.m.

High school baseball – Santa Clara at Bishop Diego, 2 p.m.; Santa Barbara at San Marcos, 3:15 p.m.; Ventura at Dos Pueblos, 3:15 p.m.

High school softball – San Marcos at Santa Barbara, 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 17

College women’s basketball – NAIA National Championships at Frankfort, Kentucky: Quarterfinals – Westmont vs. Lubbock Christian. 1 p.m. PDT.

College softball – Gaucho Classic II: Oklahoma State at UCSB, 11:15 a.m.; Wisconsin at UCSB, 1:45 p.m.

High school boys volleyball – Dos Pueblos Invitational at UCSB.

High school softball – Nipomo at Carpinteria (2), 11 a.m.

Sunday, March 18

Special Olympics – Basketball tournament at UCSB, 9 a.m.

College women’s basketball – NCAA tournament: UCSB vs. Baylor at Bowling Green, Ohio, 11:30 a.m. PDT.

College softball – Gaucho Classic II: San Jose State at UCSB, 11:45 a.m.

Monday, March 19

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

Tuesday, March 20

College baseball – San Diego Christian at Westmont (2), 12 p.m.

High school swimming – Dos Pueblos at Santa Barbara, 2:30 p.m.

High school baseball – Dos Pueblos at Santa Barbara, 3:15 p.m.

High school softball – Santa Barbara at Dos Pueblos, 3:30 p.m.; Buena at San Marcos, 3:30 p.m.

High school boys volleyball – Providence Hall at Laguna Blanca, 5 p.m.; Buena at Santa Barbara, 6 p.m.; Ventura at San Marcos, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, March 21

High school baseball – Dunn at Bishop Diego, 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 22

College baseball – Cuesta at SBCC, 2:30 p.m.

High school swimming – Ventura at San Marcos, 3 p.m.

High school track and field – Ventura at San Marcos, 3 p.m.

High school softball – Malibu at Carpinteria, 3:30 p.m.

High school boys volleyball – Santa Barbara at San Marcos, 6 p.m.

Friday, March 23

College track and field – 74th Santa Barbara Easter Relays, La Playa Stadium, 11 a.m.

College baseball – La Sierra at Westmont (2), 11 a.m.

High school baseball – St. Bonaventure at Carpinteria, 3:30 p.m.

High school softball – Ventura at Santa Barbara, 3:30 p.m.; Bishop Diego at San Marcos, 3:30 p.m.; Buena at Dos Pueblos, 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 24

High school track and field – 74th Santa Barbara Easter Relays, La Playa Stadium, 9 a.m.

College baseball – Oxnard at SBCC, 1 p.m.

Sunday, March 25

College softball – UCLA at UCSB, 1 p.m.

College women’s water polo – Stanford at UCSB, 1 p.m.

Tuesday, March 27

College baseball – Pepperdine at UCSB, 3 p.m.

RUNNING, WALKING, CYCLING

Saturday, March 17 – Barbara Ireland 10-Mile Walk/Run for the Cure of Breast Cancer, Chase Palm Park Pavilion, 8:30 a.m. ccsb.org.

Saturday, March 31 – Firestone Walker Avenue of the Flags Criterium bike races, downtown Buellton, 7 a.m. (Professional races at 3 p.m.) ridesb.com.

Saturday, April 7 – Are You Tough Enough? 100K Relay, Toro Canyon to Nojoqui Falls, 7 a.m. areyoutoughenough.com.

Saturday, April 14 – Chardonnay 10 Miler/5K, Loma Alta and Shoreline Drive, 8 a.m. sbactionpro.com.

Saturday, April 28 – Gaucho Gallop, 10K/5K, UCSB Harder Stadium, 8:15 a.m. ucsbruns.com.