SAN FRANCISCO - Despite a game-high 19 points from
Jordan Lawley, the UC San Diego men's basketball team fell to host San Francisco State, 61-50, on Friday night at SFSU's Main Gymnasium. Tim Pratt led the Gators with 12 points, while Marquel Hoskins and Phoenix O'Rourke each finished with 11.
UCSD held a four-point lead early on and trailed by just one at intermission, but it was all SFSU in the second half, as the Gators won the period 33-23 to earn a split in the season series. The Tritons had won four straight against the Gators, including a thrilling 91-86 double overtime victory in the first meeting of the year on January 16.
San Francisco State improves to 16-11 overall and 9-10 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play, while UCSD falls to 7-15 overall and 6-13 in the CCAA.
Lawley, who currently leads the conference averaging over 20 points per game, just missed his average, finishing 7-of-19 from the field. He also tallied three boards and three assists in a full 40 minutes of action.
Christian Hatch continued his recent surge, finishing with 10 points and six boards to lead the Triton frontcourt. The sophomore center has scored in double figures in four of the last five games and is averaging 11.4 points and 6.8 rebounds over that span.
Pratt was 5-of-9 from the floor to pace SFSU, while also tallying six rebounds and three assists. Hoskins added seven helpers and five rebounds to go with his 11 points, while O'Rourke hit three triples and finished with three boards, two assists, and two steals.
The Gators shot 41.5% from the floor for the game and converted 13-of-26 shots in the decisive second half. SFSU held a 35-28 advantage on the glass and outscored UCSD 24-12 in the paint.
SFSU led 23-17 with 4:14 left to play in the first half, before UCSD scored 10 of the next 12 points to take a 27-25 lead with less than a minute remaining.
Dylan Bohanan scored five straight points and
Casey Ryan converted a three-point play during the stretch.
O'Rourke then hit his third three-pointer of the half to give the Gators a one-point cushion at the break.
SFSU scored the first four points of the second half, before Hatch and Lawley answered with back-to-back baskets to cut the deficit to 32-31 with 16 minutes left.
The Tritons would get no closer than three the rest of the way as the Gators slowly added to their lead as the half progressed. The home team led 44-39 with nine minutes remaining following a jumper by Hoskins and Nefi Perdomo's three four minutes later made it 53-43. The Gators took their biggest lead at 59-47 with 30 seconds remaining.
UCSD will now travel to Cal State Monterey Bay for a date with the Otters on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. CSUMB took the first meeting of the year, 66-62, on January 14 at RIMAC Arena.
