Back in the Big Dance: UCSB headed to first NCAA Tournament since 2011

LAS VEGAS - After a decade-long wait, UC Santa Barbara is dancing again in the NCAA Tournament.

The Gauchos took down rival UC Irvine in Saturday's Big West Tournament Final to punch their ticket to Indianapolis, where they will continue their special season on college basketball's biggest stage.

UCSB earned a No. 12 seed in the bracket's West Region and will face No. 5 seed Creighton in the First Round. Tip-off is at 12:30 p.m. Saturday on Tru TV.

"You know it's just an amazing feeling, something that I won't be able to ever forget," junior forward Amadou Sow said after Saturday's win.

In his four years as head coach, Joe Pasternack has guided the Gauchos to four 20-win seasons and now the NCAA Tournament.

"It took an incredible amount of preparation," he said Saturday after the team's run through the conference tournament. "And they were focused in doing, to do their job. And they did a wonderful, wonderful job tonight."

Sow and Oregon transfer Miles Norris form a talented frontcourt while Josh Pierre-Louis and Ajare Sanni bring scoring punch off the bench (Sanni injured his ankle on Saturday and his status is questionable).

Starting senior guards Devearl Ramsey, Brandon Cyrus and Big West Player of the Year JaQuori McLaughlin round out an impressive, savvy lineup that could cause problems for their tournament opponents.

The Gauchos (22-4) boast a strong defense and balanced scoring. They put together one of the best seasons in school history, even in a pandemic.

"We started on the tennis courts this year," McLaughlin said Saturday, looking back on the strange start to the season. "We were having Zooms as a team. We weren't able to meet in person. And we talked about goals that we had. We accomplished two of them. And we got one more to go."

That goal: to make a deep run in the tournament. The Gauchos believe they are ready.