Beach Travel North For Big West Matchup At UC Santa Barbara

Saturday, January 24

Santa Barbara, Calif.

1 p.m.

Long Beach State University

UC Santa Barbara

1/23/2026 3:41:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Game Notes -- UCSB

Long Beach State faces a physical frontcourt and a tough road environment Saturday at the Thunderdome

By: Chelsea Pfohl, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State continues Big West play Saturday afternoon with a road test at UC Santa Barbara, meeting the Gauchos in a matchup that will hinge on rebounding, defensive discipline, and perimeter shooting. The Beach enter the contest leaning on heavy minutes from their backcourt, interior rim protection, and a growing sense of identity as conference play continues.

RIGHT AWAY
• Strong opening, costly middle stretch. Long Beach State led the Titans 24-17 on Thursday night in the Pyramid after the first quarter but were outscored 56-42 over the middle two periods, allowing Cal State Fullerton to seize control despite the Beach shooting 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three on the night.

• The Thunderdome demands discipline. UC Santa Barbara is most comfortable when games slow into half-court possessions, making shot selection, defensive rebounding, and patience critical on a Saturday night road floor.

• The previous meeting swung on perimeter shooting. When the teams met in Long Beach on Dec. 4, UC Santa Barbara pulled away for a 67–52 win by hitting 14 three-pointers on 50 percent shooting, turning a game that was tied after the first quarter into a double-digit margin.

• JaQuoia Jones-Brown continues to live at the intersection of volume and reliability. She leads the Big West in minutes at 36.6 per game, also good for sixth in the nation, and enters the weekend averaging 16.2 points and 7.4 rebounds, production that places her top seven in the league in both categories while guarding multiple positions.

• A career milestone is within reach. Jones-Brown sits at 489 career points and is 11 away from reaching 500, a reflection of sustained responsibility and durability rather than single-game bursts.

• Kennan Ka gives Long Beach State options defensively. Playing just over 31 minutes per game, she allows the Beach to switch matchups on the wing without sacrificing rebounding or physicality, a valuable asset against Santa Barbara's balanced perimeter attack.

• Rosie Akot's minutes matter in this matchup. She is averaging 5.6 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game and has consistently finished possessions against larger lineups, an important piece in limiting UCSB second chances.

• Pressure on the ball can change the rhythm. Khylee Pepe leads the team in steals with 30 and free throw attempts with 38, using defensive activity to speed up opposing guards and generate offense without relying solely on half-court execution.

• Spacing remains a quiet swing factor. Brynna Pukis is shooting 31.8 percent from three and has already delivered multiple perfect shooting nights, enough to force closeouts and open driving lanes against teams that prefer to pack the paint.

• Possessions will decide it. UCSB ranks among the league's better rebounding teams, while Long Beach State sits in the middle of the conference, putting a premium on securing the ball and turning stops into clean outlets.