The school's team competes in the Big West Conference.

[2] The main rival of the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men's basketball team is the Cal Poly Mustangs men's basketball team.

The Gauchos have appeared in five National Invitation Tournaments (NIT).

The Gauchos have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) one time.

The Gauchos have only retired one number in program history, that of guard Brian Shaw.