California State University at Northridge
5-8,1-3Big West
UC Santa Barbara
11-2,3-1Big West
CSUN Drops 88-70 Decision at UC Santa Barbara
1/3/2026 4:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Erika Aspajo scored a team-high 19 points, but CSUN couldn't overcome a fast start by UC Santa Barbara and fell 88-70 in a Big West game on Saturday afternoon at The Thunderdome.
The Matadors (5-8, 1-3 Big West) briefly held a pair of two-point leads early in the first quarter before UCSB seized control with a 10-0 run, opening a 26-13 advantage after one period. CSUN battled the rest of the way but was unable to close the gap against the Gauchos' efficient offense.
Aspajo finished the game 7-for-10 from the field (2-for-2 from three-point range) and added three assists for CSUN. Saray White finished with 13 points and seven assists, while Mariona Cos-Morales contributed 12 points and four rebounds. Jana Canadell provided a spark late, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers in the final minutes.
CSUN shot 46 percent from the field and was 7-for-19 from 3-point range, but struggled from the free-throw line, finishing 17-for-28. The Matadors were outscored 50-30 in the paint and trailed by as many as 26 points midway through the fourth quarter.
UC Santa Barbara (11-2, 3-1) placed five players in double figures, led by Olivia Bradley's team-high 17 points. The Gauchos wound up shooting 57.1% from the field to maintain control throughout the second half.
CSUN trimmed the margin to 15 early in the third quarter after a White 3-pointer trimmed the UCSB lead to 49-34. The Matadors continued to compete down the stretch, outscoring the Gauchos 18-13 in the fourth, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
The Matadors finish a brief two-game road trip next Thursday (Jan. 8) at Cal Poly before returning home to host Cal State Fullerton to open up a two-game homestand on Jan. 10.
#GoMatadors
