College basketball odds show that UC Santa Barbara finished 18-11 last season including 9-5 in the conference. Basketball odds experts know that the 18 wins tied for the second-highest total during the nine-year tenure of head coach Bob Williams.
College basketball odds on UC Santa Barbara saw the Gauchos play touch defense allowing only 67.4 points per game. In conference play, UCSB allowed a league-low 68.6 ppg to excite those that bet college basketball odds. UCSB was a good team for fans of college basketball odds. They led the league in field goal percentage (.470) and free throw percentage (.725) according to basketball odds experts. Experts that follow college basketball odds know that senior 6-6 guard Alex Harris is one of the top candidates for Big West Player of the Year honors. He averaged 21.1 ppg to become the first Gaucho since Raymond Tutt in 1997 to win the Big West scoring title. Junior Chris Devine ranked in the conference top 10 in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage according to college basketball odds experts.
He averaged 14.1 ppg and 6.6 rpg while hitting 53.0% from the field last year for fans of basketball odds. James Powell and Justin Joyner garnered Big West All-Freshman Team accolades last year and that gives the Gauchos a solid backcourt for experts that follow college basketball odds to consider. Powell averaged 8.8 ppg and had 38 three-point baskets as college basketball odds experts remember. Joyner contributed 4.8 ppg and 2.9 assists per game while making 26 starts for fans of basketball odds. Senior Nedim Pajevic should give the Gauchos some size upfront according to college basketball odds experts. He is a 6-9 center transfer from Weber State that could make an impact in college basketball odds this year.
Santa Barbara will be a force in college basketball odds in the Big West this season. The Gauchos are always known for solid defense and that makes them a team to consider nearly every time they play. The Big West is full of teams that like to score and the Gauchos can shut most of those teams down. Santa Barbara also has Harris to score and that may be enough this season. The Gauchos are capable of winning the conference and gaining an NCAA tourney bid for fans that bet college basketball odds.