UCI takes on Gauchos in its Big West home opener

UC SANTA BARBARA AT UC IRVINE

WHEN: Tonight, 7:05

WHERE: Bren Events Center

RADIO: KUCI/88.9 FM; Sirius/Channel 181

BREAKDOWN: The Gauchos (12-3, 1-1 in the Big West Conference), picked to win the conference in the preseason polls, are off to their best start in 19 seasons, though they are coming off an 88-84 home loss to conference foe Cal State Northridge on Saturday ... UCSB has won nine of the last 12 meetings with UCI, though the Anteaters prevailed in their last clash, a 70-52 verdict in the quarterfinals of the Big West Tournament at the Anaheim Convention Center ... UCI (5-9, 0-1) is coming off a stretch of five straight road games, during which it went 1-4 ... The Anteaters are 4-0 in games played on their campus this season ... The ’Eaters are led by senior forward Patrick Sanders (14.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game) as well as senior post Darren Fells (14.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg). Sanders scored a career-high 27 in Friday’s 93-83 conference-opening loss at Cal State Fullerton, while Fells has averaged 19.8 points his last four games. Fells leads the Big West in field-goal shooting (62.2%) and ranks 17th nationally ... The Gauchos counter with senior guard Alex Harris (22.1 ppg), whom many believe is the conference’s premier player ... UCSB junior forward Chris Devine is averaging 13.9 ppg and 5.7 rpg and is shooting 53.1% from the field ... Also playing for UCSB is Newport Harbor High product Nedim Pajevic. The 6-foot-9 Weber State transfer is averaging 6.4 points and 3.8 rebounds in nearly 18 minutes. He has played in all 15 games, making one start.

— Barry Faulkner