POMONA, Calif. -- No. 16 Cal Poly Pomona shot better than 50% from the field on the way to a 68-46 victory over UC San Diego in a California Collegiate Athletic Association matchup on Saturday night at Kellogg Gymnasium. Senior guard
Jordan Lawley led all scorers with 20 points but it wasn't enough to prevent the Tritons' third straight defeat at the hands of the Broncos.
The Broncos, who advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship game last season, improve to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Pomona posted a 64-37 rout of Cal State East Bay on Friday night.
With the loss, the Tritons fall to 0-4 on the season and 0-2 in the CCAA. UCSD has not dropped its first four games to start the season since 2000-01, the program's first year at the Division II level.
Pomona converted 28-of-55 shots in the game, just under 51%, including 54% (13-24) in the second half. UCSD finished at 31%, hitting just 14-of-45 attempts from the floor.
Forward Tobias Jahn scored 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting to lead the Broncos. Austin Swift scored 13 points to go with five rebounds and a game-high six assists, while Donnelle Book tallied 11 points and six boards.
Lawley, who scored just five points on 2-of-8 shooting in Friday's loss at Cal State San Bernardino, bounced back against Pomona, converting 7-of-17 shots from the floor to pace the Tritons offensively. He hit 5-of-6 at the free throw line and hauled down four rebounds.
Casey Ryan scored nine points and pulled down five boards, while freshman
Justin Brue tallied a game-high nine rebounds in his second career start.
The Broncos raced out to a 12-5 lead after the game's first five minutes and led 31-7 after Jahn capped off 14-0 unanswered for CPP with a three-point play with 7:16 left in the first half.
Cal Poly Pomona led 36-14 at halftime and took their biggest lead at 48-21 following consecutive baskets from Jahn.
The Tritons got as close as 17 (59-42) with 3:26 remaining, but the Broncos would respond with a 6-0 spurt to put the game away.
The Tritons will now take the next nine days off to take final exams and then resume conference play Tuesday, December 15 at Cal State East Bay. UCSD will take on the CCAA's newest member at 7:30 p.m. in Hayward.
