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BIG WEST CONFERENCE

UC Santa Barbara (7-10 overall, 4-5 in conference) at Cal State Fullerton (9-7, 4-4), 5, FSNW2, KTLK (1340) -- Fullerton stopped a three-game losing streak with a victory Thursday over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Senior forward Yaphett King scored a career-high 26 points while holding Mustang forward Nick Enzweiler scoreless. Santa Barbara is coming off a loss at Riverside, a game in which the Gauchos scored only 17 points in the first half. Injuries have left the Gauchos with eight available players, but forward David Kennedy has returned after having battled a stress fracture in his right leg.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (3-14, 1-8) at UC Riverside (7-10, 3-5), 7, KPRO (1570) -- The goal for Riverside last season was to get into the Big West tournament in the first season it was eligible. That would be an achievement this season without star center Vili Morton, lost for the season because of a severe knee injury. The Highlanders are coming off a big win over Santa Barbara Thursday.

Idaho (7-12, 5-3) at UC Irvine (9-7, 3-5), 7, KUCI-FM (88.9), KWRM (1370) -- The Anteaters have winning streaks of five and three games but also have lost four in a row earlier this month. They weren’t too pleased about their second-half performance or their many unforced turnovers in a 25-point home loss to Utah State Thursday, their worst home defeat since 1997. Idaho figures to be motivated after losing to struggling Long Beach State but the Vandals are only 1-8 on the road.

Utah State (14-5, 5-3) at Long Beach State (3-15, 1-7), 7 -- The 49ers ended a month’s worth of frustration by defeating Idaho Thursday to end an eight-game losing streak. Tonight, they must find a way to defeat the Aggies for the first time in four years. Utah State had been struggling on the road, but senior forward Spencer Nelson led the Aggies to a big victory over UC Irvine. Nelson is averaging 15.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists and is among the league’s top 10 in field-goal shooting, free-throw shooting and steals.

WEST COAST CONFERENCE

Pepperdine (12-9, 2-4) at Loyola Marymount (9-10, 1-5), 7, FSNW2, KXLU-FM (88.9) -- These teams are in surprising positions at the midpoint of the WCC season. Pepperdine has dropped four in a row and fallen to seventh place. Loyola has lost five straight and is in last place. The Lions will have plenty of incentive tonight. They will try to end a 13-game losing streak to Pepperdine on a night when the inductees to their school’s athletic hall of fame will include the 1989-90 team that reached the NCAA Elite Eight.

NONCONFERENCE

Cal State Northridge (9-9) at UC Davis (8-10), 7 -- After an emotionally draining loss to Big West-leading Pacific, Northridge must turn around and get ready for a Davis team that is surprisingly competitive as it makes the transition to NCAA Division I. The Aggies, who’ll be a full-fledged Big West member in 2006-07, have been in most of their games and are 3-5 against the league. The Matadors will be without point guard Bakari Altheimer, who broke his right hand in practice Tuesday.

-- Eric Stephens

WOMEN

PACIFIC 10 CONFERENCE

USC (14-5, 8-2) at Oregon (13-6, 7-4), 1 -- The Trojans got through the easier part of their weekend trip by defeating Oregon State on Thursday. The Ducks who beat UCLA on Thursday, are 8-1 on their home court -- including a victory over Stanford.

UCLA (12-7, 6-4) at Oregon State (5-14, 1-9), 7:30, FSNW -- The Bruins have gone 1-4 since their 5-0 conference start. They’ve also gone from first to a tie for fifth. Junior forward Lisa Willis has averaged 21.8 points the last four games.

-- Mike Terry