TODAY

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UC Santa Barbara (3-4) at Brigham Young (7-1), 4 p.m. PST, KEYT (1250) -- A year ago the host Gauchos handed the Cougars a 68-58 loss. Santa Barbara returns with four starters and 10 lettermen from that team, but this time around BYU, which is averaging 13,222 spectators each home game, has to be a big favorite. A Cougar victory would give BYU its best start since the 1991-92 season. The Gauchos have lost two straight and have a 1-4 road record. They’ve committed 56 turnovers in their last three games.

UC Riverside (1-3) at San Diego (5-3), 7 p.m., KPRO (1570), KCBQ (1170) -- This is a rematch of San Diego’s 84-64 romp Nov. 30 at Riverside. San Diego made 31 of 44 field goals and had five players score in double figures. Freshman guard Nate Carter scored 16 points for Riverside. The Highlanders have been in foul trouble all season. They committed 30 in Tuesday’s 79-74 loss at St. Mary’s.

CS Fullerton (1-6) at Sacramento State (4-4), 7:30 p.m., KWRM-AM (1370) -- Fullerton hobbles onto the road for its next four games. The Titans are without senior forward Brandon Campbell, who is out indefinitely with a degenerative bone problem in his left ankle, and junior forward Bron Groomes, who severely injured an ankle in the Titans’ 69-60 loss to Idaho State on Dec. 14. Center Pape Sow has a sprained ankle and a sore wrist but is expected to play. Sacramento has had its best start under third-year Coach Jerome Jenkins.

-- Paul McLeod

Montana (4-7) at Loyola Marymount (5-5), 7 p.m.-- The Lions are hoping to shake the close-game blues after losing to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in overtime, 72-70, and Cal State Northridge, 74-71. Forward Adam Osborn scored a career-high 23 points against Northridge, but a late Lions’ rally fell short. Montana grabbed the national spotlight by beating Stanford, 70-68, but then lost to Pepperdine, 86-69, in the championship of the Stanford Invitational. Loyola Marymount defeated Montana, 65-62, at the Great Alaska Shootout on Nov. 29.

-- Mike Bresnahan

WOMEN

USC (5-4) at Colorado (7-1), 1 p.m. PST -- The Trojan offense got a boost from Duke transfer Rometra Craig, who scored 18 points in her USC debut against Southern Methodist. The 80 points USC scored against SMU were more than the combined point totals against Connecticut and Tennessee (73). Colorado has been idle since defeating in-state rival Colorado State, 66-51, on Dec. 12. Junior center Tera Bjorklund is the Buffaloes’ leading scorer (18.8).

Northridge (0-7) at UCLA (4-4), Pauley Pavilion, 2 p.m., KBET (850) -- The Bruins have lost three straight, including Thursday’s 89-77 decision to Baylor. But UCLA is also holding its breath on the results of Friday’s MRI of freshman forward Julia Pitts’ injured left knee. Northridge is more hungry for a victory than UCLA is. The Matadors, now under first-year coach Tammy Holder, have lost 13 straight since Feb. 10. Junior forward Brezya Rhodes is the Matadors’ leading scorer (11.6).

-- Mike Terry