Preview: UC Riverside at UC Santa Barbara Women’s Basketball SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Interstat) — A surging UC Santa Barbara women’s basketball team looks to rebound from a rare off-night when it hosts struggling UC Riverside in a Big West Conference matchup Thursday at the Thunderdome. The Gauchos (16-6 overall) saw a three-game win streak snapped decisively in a 63-41 loss at UC Irvine on Saturday. Prior to that, they had won eight of their previous nine games. They return home, where they are 9-2 this season, to face a Highlanders squad mired in a difficult stretch. UC Riverside (7-16) has lost five of its last six games, including a 58-53 home defeat to Cal State Northridge last Saturday. The Highlanders’ challenges are compounded by their road record, where they have managed just two wins in 10 attempts this season. The spotlight will be on UC Riverside guard Hannah Wickstrom, who has been a prolific scorer despite her team’s results. She is averaging 27.1 points over her last eight games, including a 35-point outburst in an overtime loss to Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 5. Containing her will be a primary focus for the Gauchos’ defense. For UC Santa Barbara, forward Júlia PuenteValverde is a key presence. She grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds in a narrow loss to Cal State Fullerton on Jan. 31 and provides defensive stability. The Gauchos will look to re-establish their offensive rhythm after shooting just 25.5% from the field in the loss to UC Irvine. In the first meeting between the teams this season, scheduled for Feb. 26 in Riverside, the Gauchos will aim to start the two-game series with a victory. UC Santa Barbara currently sits near the top of the Big West standings, while UC Riverside is near the bottom. Thursday’s game tips off at 7 p.m. PST. UC Santa Barbara will host Cal Poly on Saturday, while UC Riverside returns home to face UC San Diego.