Santa Barbara ends its pair of exhibition games tomorrow at 2 p.m. in the Thunderdome when the women’s basketball team hosts Love and Basketball.
Forward Hillary Jager will not suit up for the game, nor any other this season. After taking two seasons off from competitive basketball, the junior tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee with just three minutes of play left in the Gauchos’ first exhibition Sunday against Czech club team Strakonice. In her 14 minutes on the court, Jager came off the bench with fire and intensity to score six points and seven rebounds. Jager looked like she would be a major contributor for the Gauchos, but will sit out the entire season.
Santa Barbara came away with a victory Nov. 7 against Strakonice, but ran into turnover trouble. Love and Basketball should give the Gauchos more trouble both offensively and defensively. UCSB needs to improve its offensive execution against a team of former collegiate standouts.
“We need to figure out how to use the strengths of this year’s team most effectively,” Head Coach Mark French said.
Love and Basketball defeated Fullerton 78-57 in an exhibition game Oct. 30. Former Loyola Marymount standout Bryn Britton led Love and Basketball with 15 points and four other players contributed in double-digits. As a team, the club hit .430 from the floor.
“They just clobbered Fullerton, so that will be extra motivation for us,” French said.