Santa Barbara Defeats Oxnard 61-47 for First Conference Win

January 10, 2026

by AJ Nagbe

OXNARD, Calif. — The Vaqueros bounced back from their conference-opening loss, defeating Oxnard 61-47 on Saturday afternoon to earn their first Western State Conference victory. Aariah Fox led Santa Barbara with 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Kaylee Lawson added 11 points, including three three-pointers, while Milan Jackson chipped in eight points. The Vaqueros shot 30.9% from the field but excelled at the free-throw line, converting 12-of-14 attempts at 85.7%, while holding Oxnard to just 36% shooting. Santa Barbara never trailed, building an early 23-5 lead after the first quarter and maintaining control throughout. The Vaqueros extended their advantage to 43-14 by halftime and cruised in the second half despite being outscored 33-18 over the final two quarters.

SBCC dominated the boards 34-30 and forced 26 turnovers, converting them into 21 points while limiting Oxnard to just 36% shooting from the field. Coach Sandrine Krul praised the team's fast-paced execution in the first half following the 61-47 victory. "The first half we had our running game. It was textbook," Krul said. "Outlets, no dribble, score. I'm really proud of our team. Every player that got in the first half, they got a rebound, they scored. We outscored their bench, which is great for us."

Krul highlighted Fox's all-around performance, as she recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. "Aariah Fox had a double-double, which is great," she said. "We rotated a lot because we're playing really fast, and everybody that went in stayed true to the game plan, which is to push our pace, get the ball out, and run."

Looking ahead to the team's first home game since November, Krul emphasized the significance of playing in front of the home crowd. "We're 12-6, so that's 18 games, and 16 out of 18 have been on the road," Krul said. "This team has been so great at staying locked in. They're all excited to get a home game. They haven't played at home since November 1. It all goes back to playing by committee, which is one of our tenets that we continue to go with."

Santa Barbara (12-6, 1-1) returns home for the first time since November as they host Ventura on Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 7 p.m. at Robertson Gym, UCSB.