CEDAR CITY, Utah-Saturday, Southern Utah men’s basketball (5-4) hosts UC Santa Barbara (6-3) of the Big West Conference at the America First Event Center.

The Thunderbirds are coached by Todd Simon (41-67, .380) who is in fourth season at SUU.

The Thunderbirds score 77.9 points per game, ranking them 72nd nationally in scoring offense.

Redshirt senior forward Dwayne Morgan (12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds per game), junior guard John Knight III (12.3 points per game), redshirt senior guard/forward Cameron Oluyitan (11.9 points,  a team-best 5.6 rebounds per game, a team-best 20 assists and 16 steals) all score in double figures on average for the Thunderbirds. Morgan’s seven blocked shots lead SUU in that category.

The Thunderbirds surrender 64 points per game defensively. This ties them for 82nd nationally in scoring defense with Minnesota, Arizona State, Kent State, New Mexico State and Missouri State.

The Gauchos are coached by Joe Pasternack who is 51-22 (.699) in his third season at UC Santa Barbara. He is 89-76 (.539) all-time as a collegiate head coach which includes a stint at New Orleans (2007-2010).

UC Santa Barbara is led by freshman forward Amadou Sow (15.9 points, 8.3 rebounds per game). Sow also leads the Gauchos in blocked shots per game (1.2).

Also scoring in double figures on average for UC Santa Barbara are senior guard Max Heidegger (14 points per game) and junior guard JaQuori McLaughlin (13.7 points per game, a team-best 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game) as well as graduate forward Matt Freeman (11.1 points per game).

The Gauchos lead the Thunderbirds 1-0 all-time with UC Santa Barbara prevailing 88-55 December 5, 1988 at Santa Barbara, Calif.