Joe Pasternack and the UCSB Gauchos look to repeat their success
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — UC Santa Barbara is in the process of something great, and it鈥檚 all thanks to Joe Pasternack’s decision in fifth grade.
鈥淚 just loved watching basketball. I knew I probably wasn鈥檛 going to have the genes to be an NBA player, so being a coach was the next best thing,鈥� said the UCSB head coach.
It鈥檚 been more than a few years since then, but Pasternack has proven to be one of the most talented young coaches in the country. He took over a Gauchos program that only registered six wins in 2016-17. He is now entering his fifth season at the helm of the program and has established his name in the school’s record book.
Pasternack was named Big West Coach of the Year last season after leading the Gauchos to a 22-5 overall record, 13-2 in the conference, while also taking the Big West regular season and tournament titles. UCSB punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament, only the sixth one in program history.
No team has won the Big West crown back-to-back since the Gauchos did it in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. The expectations are high for UCSB, as they were the unanimous preseason favorite to win again this year.
鈥淕reat NCAA Tournament run last year. We were a basket short of advancing. Now just being a model of consistency is everything,鈥� Pasternach said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to have maybe one great year, but we鈥檝e strung along four really good years. Now, can we back it up this year?鈥�
It was a great year for the Gauchos, but not an easy one to follow. The team lost JaQuori McLaughlin, Devearl Ramsey and Brandon Cyrus, the three starting guards. McLaughlin, the Big West Player of the Year, led the team in points and assists last season. The talent won鈥檛 be easy to replace, however, there are returners and newcomers that could continue the team鈥檚 success.
UCSB head coach Joe Pasternack , reigning Big West Coach of the Year, recorded a .721 winning % in his first 4 years with , best in program history.
Here he is talking about the process, and a golf analogy from his mentor Pete Newell.
— Isabel Gonzalez (@cisabelg)
The two starters that returned are Amadou Sow and Mike Norris. Sow is UCSB鈥檚 most valuable piece right now. The 6鈥�9鈥� forward averaged 13.6 points last season while shooting at 57.3% from the field. He also led in rebounds with 7.6 in 26 games. Norris was the second-best rebounder last season and fourth top scorer with 9.7 points per game.
This season, both of them continued where they left off to lead the Guachos to a 5-2 start. In the first seven games, Norris averaged 9.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Sow registered 19.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. He is shooting at 66.7% from the field, which might not always be possible so other players will have to step up.
The only other Gaucho currently scoring in double digits is junior guard Jean Pierre, who is averaging 10.0 points on 54.7% shooting.
One newcomer who is off to a promising start is Calvin Wishart from Georgia Southern. He transferred to UCSB in 2020, so not technically a true newcomer, but he sat out last year as a redshirt player. Wishart is shooting at 55.6% from the field and averaging 9.6 points in seven games and four starts. He is a dangerous free throw shooter with a 94.4% from the charity line.
Pasternack said the Gauchos are buckling down with only a handful of games left before conference play begins on Dec. 30. He said this roster has potential but is still a work in progress as players figure out their roles and learn the culture. While the lessons on the court are important, the coach believes that the key to success is building character off the court.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a culture of accountability and self-discipline, on the court and off the court,鈥� he said. 鈥淒oing everything you are supposed to do when you are supposed to do it, and do it that way all time鈥e are taking this day by day. We just want to build a program that honors our process.鈥�
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