Basketball Prepares for Conference Play; Women Ranked No. 15

Santa Barbara City College basketball teams will host Moorpark College on Wednesday, Jan. 8, to open Western State Conference play. The women's game is scheduled for 5 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7 p.m. in the Sports Pavilion.

The Vaqueros women are ranked No. 15 in the state with a 12-3 record, according to Monday's CCCWCBA State Poll. The Moorpark College Raiders women are ranked No. 4 with a 12-4 record.

The Raiders have won five consecutive games and 12 of their last 13. They are ranked No. 13 in the state in scoring, averaging 69.7 points per game. The Vaqueros have won three straight games and six of their last seven. They are ranked No. 8 in the state in offense, averaging 72.1 points per game, and are No. 4 in assists with 20.3 per game.

Santa Barbara is coming off an 81-52 victory over MiraCosta, despite playing without leading scorer and rebounder Isis Poteet, who averages 13.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

The Santa Barbara men enter conference play with a 7-9 record and are coming off a 105-102 overtime win against No. 14 Chaffey College. No. 28 Moorpark is 10-6 and had won eight consecutive games before a 119-100 loss to Citrus College on Friday.

James Reach leads the Vaqueros in scoring, averaging 15.5 points per game and shooting 40.8% from three-point range. Will Pace is the leading rebounder, averaging 7.8 per game, and is contributing 10.6 points per game.

Expect strength against strength as Moorpark enters with the No. 13-ranked offense, averaging 81.8 points per game, while Santa Barbara boasts the No. 20 defense, allowing just 67.7 points per game.