UC San Diego’s Jaden Vance beats buzzer to edge UC Santa Barbara 64-63 in finale

A one-possession finish decided a Big West regular-season closer in Santa Barbara

UC San Diego closed its regular season Saturday night, March 7, 2026, with a 64-63 road win over UC Santa Barbara at the Thunderdome, sealed by a layup at the buzzer from guard Jaden Vance. The result ended the Big West schedule for both teams and sent them into next week’s conference tournament with momentum and seeding implications.

The decisive sequence unfolded in the final seconds. With UC Santa Barbara holding a one-point edge after a late basket in the lane, UC San Diego advanced the ball quickly on the ensuing possession. Tom Beattie initiated the final push off the inbounds and, after drawing pressure near the right side, delivered a pass inside to Vance, who finished at the rim as time expired.

Final: UC San Diego 64, UC Santa Barbara 63.

Key performers and team efficiency

Forward Bol Dengdit led UC San Diego with 15 points in 27 minutes, scoring 5-of-12 from the field and 5-of-7 at the line. Beattie provided 14 points, and Hudson Mayes added 12 on 5-of-6 shooting. UC San Diego finished at 46% from the floor (25-of-54) but struggled from three-point range (2-of-15) and went 12-of-18 on free throws.

For UC Santa Barbara, Colin Smith scored 13 points, and CJ Shaw added 13 off the bench. The Gauchos shot 46% overall (22-of-48) and 37% from three (10-of-27), and they were perfect at the line (9-of-9). UC Santa Barbara also held an edge on the glass, 34-26, including eight rebounds from Miro Little, who paired 10 points with seven assists.

• UC San Diego: 64 points on 46% shooting; 13% from three; 67% at the line
• UC Santa Barbara: 63 points on 46% shooting; 37% from three; 100% at the line

What the result means heading into the postseason

The outcome added to a tightly packed Big West standings table near the top and middle of the conference. UC San Diego completed the regular season at 22-10 overall and 12-8 in Big West play. UC Santa Barbara finished 18-13 overall and 11-9 in conference games.

The Big West men’s basketball tournament is scheduled for March 11–14, 2026, at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada. Seeding and matchups were clarified by the closing-week results, with UC Santa Barbara positioned for an earlier start after the late loss, while UC San Diego entered the tournament among the conference’s top records.