LA JOLLA, Calif. – Jay Flores' three-pointer with 2:21 remaining gave Chico State a five-point lead and the visiting Wildcats went on to defeat UC San Diego 77-68 in California Collegiate Athletic Association pairing on Thursday night at RIMAC Arena. The Tritons led 52-44 with 11:43 left in the second half, but couldn't prevent a decisive Wildcat rally.

Jordan Lawley scored a game-high 22 points for the Tritons, who fell to 2-7 overall and 1-5 in the CCAA with the loss. The senior guard finished 6-of-11 from the field and 9-of-11 at the free throw line, while tallying six rebounds and three assists. Lawley, the CCAA's second-leading scorer, has now scored 20 or more in three of UCSD's last four games.

Tyler Acevedo sank a pair of threes and finished 5-of-13 overall en route to 16 points, his highest total since also scoring 16 in the Tritons' 70-50 win at Cal State East Bay on December 15. Casey Ryan finished with eight points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while Jake Tarabilda had another solid performance, tallying eight points and four assists in a season-high 30 minutes.

Junior guard Zach Graves scored 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting to pace five players in double figures for Chico State (8-2, 4-1 CCAA). Roderick Hawkins scored 14 points and hauled down 10 boards, while Jon Baird added 12 points and Flores and Terence Pellum chipped in with 10.

The Tritons trailed by eight (36-28) 30 seconds into the second half before embarking on a 17-2 run over the next five minutes to take a 45-38 lead with 14:49 remaining. Lawley scored five points during the stretch, including a big three with 15:20 left to play.

Casey Ryan's layup three minutes later gave UCSD its biggest advantage of the game at 52-44, but Chico State was able to weather the storm, outscoring the Tritons 10-2 over the next 3:18 to tie the game at 54.

Another basket from Ryan with four minutes left tied the game at 60, but Flores and Hawkins made four straight free throws to give the visitors the lead for good. Lawey hit two at the line to bring UCSD to within 64-62, but Flores' three followed and Graves scored in the paint to push the Wildcat lead to seven, 69-62, with 1:26 left on the clock.

Acevedo would convert a three-point play, but it wasn't enough, as Chico State sank eight straight free throws in the final minute to put the game away.

The Tritons shot 45.8% (22-48) from the field, while the Wildcats shot 45.3% (24-53). UCSD held a 33-31 rebounding advantage, but Chico outscored the Tritons 34-26 in the paint and scored 20 points off 15 UCSD turnovers.

UCSD returns to the court on Saturday against Cal State Stanislaus at 7:30 p.m. The Tritons swept the season series with the Warriors in 2008-09.