UT Arlington came into a matchup against UCSB Monday night winless against Division 1 competition in five tries this season but exited the Thunderdome with a stunning 70-62 victory over the Gauchos.
Missed free throws, untimely turnovers, and a lack of energy throughout doomed UCSB. The loss serves as a significant speed bump in what otherwise can be considered a strong start to the 2021-22 season.
“You can’t expect to win; you have to do it on the court, and we didn’t do it tonight. We have to regroup, get better, and learn from this,” said UCSB coach Joe Pasternack. “That’s what non-conference is for. It was great to play a team like this, as athletic as they are, to prepare us for conference, because that is what we are playing for.”