Gauchos Beat Pepperdine 58-54 in Malibu to Start the Season 2-0
Santa Barbara raced to a 26-16 lead, lost it by halftime and then outscored the Waves 13-9 in the fourth quarter to close out a road win in the first meeting between the teams since 2022.
The UC Santa Barbara women's basketball team beat Pepperdine 58-54 on Thursday night in Malibu, closing the game with a fourth quarter that broke a tie and gave the Gauchos a 2-0 start to the 2026-27 season. Pepperdine falls to 1-1 with the loss.
Santa Barbara took the first quarter 26-16, then scored seven points in the second quarter and went to halftime behind, 35-33. The third quarter ended with the teams level at 45-45, and the Gauchos won the fourth quarter 13-9 to finish the road win at Firestone Fieldhouse.
Both teams arrived at 1-0. Santa Barbara opened the season on Tuesday with a 101-26 home win over UC Santa Cruz, a game in which six Gauchos scored in double figures and freshman Sarah Heyn led the team with 17 points, according to Pepperdine's scouting report for the game. Pepperdine opened on Monday with a 59-43 win at Portland State.
The Waves were the early test the opening week promised. Pepperdine finished last season 21-13 and reached the Super 16 of the Women's National Invitation Tournament for the second time in program history, according to UC Santa Barbara Athletics. Thursday's game was the first meeting between the teams since Nov. 10, 2022, when Santa Barbara won 71-63, and the all-time series stood level at 18 wins each before tip-off, Pepperdine Athletics said. The win in Malibu puts Santa Barbara ahead in the series, 19-18.
The game was Pepperdine's home opener and the first half of a doubleheader at Firestone Fieldhouse, with tip-off at 5 p.m. and the game streamed on ESPN+, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
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