SBCC Returns Home with 60-57 Win Over Ventura in WSC Action

January 14, 2026

by AJ Nagbe

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The Vaqueros returned home for the first time since November and held off a late Ventura rally, defeating the Pirates 60-57 on Wednesday night at Robertson Gym. Khaya Jackson came off the bench to lead all scorers with 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting, including three three-pointers. Milan Jackson added 17 points and nine assists, while Kaylee Lawson chipped in 12 points. Siena Hoban contributed 10 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, and Aariah Fox grabbed nine rebounds and dished out four assists.

The game featured six ties and five lead changes in a tightly contested battle. Santa Barbara led by as many as eight points in the second quarter but watched Ventura claw back throughout the night. The Vaqueros shot 34% from the field and knocked down five three-pointers while dominating the boards 37-29. SBCC converted 19-of-26 free throws and turned 19 Ventura turnovers into 18 points to maintain their edge down the stretch. Coach Sandrine Krul praised the team's resilience and poise in front of the home crowd following the 60-57 victory. "Wow, what a great 40 minutes of basketball. Our team showed a lot of courage," Krul said. "We would get down, then we would get back up. Ventura just keeps coming at you, and our team didn't waver."

Krul highlighted Jackson's explosive performance off the bench and the team's clutch free-throw shooting. "Khaya off the bench with 18 points, was really playing smart, and the whole team played smart," she said. "The biggest stat of the night is we hit our free throws when we needed to. We were 19-of-26, so that's excellent. That was the best we've played for 40 minutes."

Looking ahead, Krul emphasized maintaining the team's approach. "It was a very big win. We're keeping our MTXE mindset going and onto the next," she said. Santa Barbara (13-6, 2-1) looks to extend its win streak as it travels to LA Mission on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 1 p.m..