Big west player of the year and big west tournament mvp jaquori mclaughlin and the gauchos will play creighton on saturday at 12:30 p. M. (pdt) (photo by tre penn) — Big West Player of the Year and Big West Tournament MVP JaQuori McLaughlin and the Gauchos will play Creighton on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. (PDT) (Photo by Tre Penn)

Saturday, March 20: (12) UC-Santa Barbara vs. (5) Creighton

College hoop fans will be anxious to see if 19th-ranked Creighton can bounce back from a devastating 25-point loss to Georgetown in the Big East title game. Creighton shot just 29% from the floor, and 42% from the free-throw line. That’s not the only disappointing outing Creighton has had recently, as they were also thoroughly outplayed by Xavier and Villanova. The Blue Jays will be looking for star guard Marcus Zegarowski to set the tone and give them a chance to avoid further embarrassment.

Santa Barbara finished with a 22-4 record, and are on an upswing, as they have won 5-in-a-row and 18 of their last 19 games. Their best performer, 6’4″ guard JaQuori McLaughlin, was named Big West Conference player of the year. This is the 6th appearance in the Tournament for UCSB, and they have a 1-5 record in the school’s previous showings. The winner of this game faces a very tough opponent in either Virginia or Ohio U. in the next round.

On the rebound: Today’s March Madness Previews

Sports betting analyst — Joe wiz, ncaa march madness 2021

Shore News Network Staff Report Latest posts

Shore News Network Staff Report is the official newsroom byline used by Shore News Network when a story is produced through the collaborative work of multiple members of the editorial team rather than a single reporter.

This newsroom account is reserved for articles that involve contributions from multiple journalists, editors, photographers, researchers, or news desk staff. It is also used for developing stories that are updated as new verified information becomes available, as well as for community announcements, weather coverage, public safety alerts, election results, and other newsroom-produced content.

Every article published under the Shore News Network Staff Report byline is reviewed and edited in accordance with the organization's editorial standards for accuracy, fairness, attribution, and transparency. Information is verified through official government agencies, court records, law enforcement, public documents, direct reporting, interviews, and other reliable primary and secondary sources before publication whenever possible.

The Staff Report account does not use artificial intelligence to independently generate news or publish unverified information. AI-assisted tools may occasionally be used for editorial support tasks such as transcription, formatting, grammar review, or workflow efficiency, but all published content is subject to human editorial oversight and approval by Shore News Network's newsroom staff.

As an independently owned digital news organization, Shore News Network is committed to original reporting, public safety journalism, government accountability, local community coverage, and breaking news throughout New Jersey and surrounding regions. Stories published under the Staff Report byline reflect the collective experience and editorial judgment of the Shore News Network newsroom.

Readers who have corrections, additional information, or news tips related to a Staff Report article are encouraged to contact the newsroom at news@shorenewsnetwork.com. Shore News Network welcomes factual corrections and updates as part of its commitment to accurate, transparent journalism.