THE SCHEDULE
Game Eight
vs. RV Cal Poly Pomona (6-2, 2-1 CCAA)
Sunday, Dec. 21 • 4:00 p.m.
RIMAC Arena • La Jolla, Calif.
Live Stats • Live Video • ESPN Radio 1700 • Tickets
PROBABLE TRITON STARTERS
G - #1 Aleks Lipovic (So., 6-4/190): 8.4 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 27.0 MPG
G - #13 Adam Klie (So., 6-4/200): 8.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG, .568 FG%, 2.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 26.4 MPG
G - #23 Hunter Walker (Jr., 6-4/200): 12.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG, .492 FG%, 2.4 APG, 28.3 MPG
F - #14 Drew Dyer (Jr., 6-6/215): 12.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, .576 3FG%, .765 FT%, 31.7 MPG
F - #33 Zach McMillan (Jr., 6-7/215): 4.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, .478 FG%, 16.6 MPG
WEEKLY REWIND
In its lone game last week, UCSD dropped a 76-70 decision at 17th-ranked California Baptist. The Tritons tied it with just over four minutes remaining on two free throws by Drew Dyer, but CBU proceeded to go on a seven-point run and held a lead the rest of the way. Hunter Walker scored a game-high 18 points and was 7-for-12 from the field, adding five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Three other Tritons finished with 10 or more points including Dyer (16), Adam Klie (14) and Aleks Lipovic (11).
IN THE CCAA
Standings
1. Sonoma State: 3-0, 6-1
1. Chico State: 3-0, 6-2
3. Cal Poly Pomona: 2-1, 6-2
3. Cal State Stanislaus: 2-1, 5-3
3. San Francisco State: 2-1, 4-3
3. UC San Diego: 2-1, 4-3
7. Cal State L.A.: 2-2, 3-4
7. Cal State San Bernardino: 2-2, 2-4
9. Cal State Monterey Bay: 1-2, 5-4
9. Cal State East Bay: 1-2, 3-5
11. Humboldt State: 0-4, 5-4
11. Cal State Dominguez Hills: 0-4, 3-7
Team Stats
Individual Stats
MEET THE TREYTONS
Through seven games, UCSD has knocked down 70 three-pointers, which ranks second among all CCAA teams. The Tritons are shooting 44 percent from behind the arc, second in the league and 14th nationwide. They are 24th in the country in three-pointers per game (10.0). UCSD netted a season-high 16 threes against Fort Lewis on Nov. 29, the most since hitting 17 against San Francisco state on Feb. 21, 2014.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND ...
The Tritons will finally play in front of a home crowd Sunday. Including two exhibition games, UCSD played its first nine contests of the season on the road. To kick off the 2005-06 campaign, the team played 12 straight away from home, which included three exhibitions.
POLL POSITION
After spending the last five weeks on it, UCSD has dropped out of the receiving votes category in the NABC national poll. West Liberty remained in the No. 1 spot, followed by Florida Southern and Central Missouri. From the CCAA, Sonoma State and Cal Poly Pomona are receiving votes.
AGAINST THE RANKED
UC San Diego is 1-1 against nationally-ranked teams so far this season. On Nov. 22, the Tritons defeated No. 19 Cal Poly Pomona, 69-66, on the road. On Dec. 12, they fell at No. 17 California Baptist, 76-70. CBU is the highest-ranked squad UCSD has played since Feb. 9, 2013, when it lost, 73-50, to fourth-ranked Cal Poly Pomona at RIMAC Arena.
LISTEN UP
For the fourth straight year, UCSD men's basketball games will be broadcast by ESPN Radio 1700. A total of eight regular season games will be aired on the radio and online. Jordan Carruth will handle play-by-play duties and various former Tritons will join him as color commentators. Seven of the games will be broadcast live - 11/22 at Cal Poly Pomona (7 p.m.), 12/21 vs. Cal Poly Pomona (4 p.m.), 1/2 vs. Cal State Stanislaus (7:30 p.m.), 1/9 vs. Sonoma State (7:30 p.m.), 1/30 vs. Cal State East Bay (7:30 p.m.), 2/20 vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (7:30 p.m.) and 2/21 vs. Cal State L.A. (7:30 p.m.). The 1/23 game vs. Cal State San Bernardino will be a delayed broadcast (time to be announced).
COACH WITH COACH
Second-year UCSD head coach Eric Olen will have a weekly segment on the Mighty 1090's "Coach" Kentera Show. Olen will join host John Kentera live every Wednesday at approximately 8 p.m. Fans can hear the show on the radio as well as online.
BRONCO BUSTING
On Nov. 22, UCSD busted a 12-game losing slide against No. 19 Cal Poly Pomona with a 69-66 win on the road. The Tritons' previous victory against the Broncos came on March 8, 2008, in the CCAA Championship Tournament title game (64-56). The last time UCSD topped a nationally-ranked opponent was Feb. 18, 2011, when the Tritons dispatched No. 13 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 61-59, in Carson.
WHAT DO THE COACHES THINK?
UC San Diego was picked to finish ninth in the 2014-15 CCAA standings according to a preseason poll of the league's coaches, released on Nov. 12. Cal Poly Pomona topped the list and was followed by Cal State San Bernardino, Cal State Stanislaus, Chico State, Humboldt State, Cal State L.A., San Francisco State, Cal State Monterey Bay, UCSD, Sonoma State, Cal State East Bay and Cal State Dominguez Hills. CSUSB is the reigning CCAA champion, while the Tritons placed seventh last season.
WHO'S BACK, WHO'S NOT SNAPSHOT
UCSD does not have a single senior on its 14-player 2014-15 roster. The Tritons return four starters from last season's team that fell one game short of a second successive CCAA Tournament berth. They finished 15-11 overall and an even 11-11 in league play.
Drew Dyer is back after averaging 12.4 points and 5.6 rebounds a game a year ago. Fellow junior Hunter Walker more than doubled his minutes played from his rookie season and was a stat-sheet stuffer, now as UCSD's leading returner in assists (tied-38), steals (26) and blocks (15) while having averaged 9.2 points and 4.7 rebounds a game. Adam Klie (10.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg) was the 2013-14 CCAA Freshman of the Year, while sophomore Aleks Lipovic averaged 9.9 ppg and held a .434 three-point field goal percentage.
Junior Zach McMillan (5.1 rpg) is expected to be in the starting lineup this season. Junior Treavon Francis (3.9 ppg) returns as well.
The Tritons lost their leading scorer and rebounder to graduation in James McCann and MacKenzie McCullough, respectively. McCann (15.6 ppg), a two-time All-CCAA selection as UCSD's point guard, left the program as the top assists man for the Division II era (469). He now plays professionally in England for the Leeds Force while pursuing a graduate degree. McCullough contributed 10.6 points and 6.0 boards per game before suffering a season-ending injury at SF State on Jan. 18. The other departed four-year Triton is guard Matt Bailey.
EIGHT NEWCOMERS DON THE BLUE AND GOLD
Among eight newcomers to the UCSD program this year are six true freshmen: George Buaku, Jordan Flannery, Kenny Fraser, Grant Jackson, Chase Ogden and Brett Oosdyke. Jeff Van Dyke is a sophomore transfer from Division I Pepperdine, and Tony Morman is a junior arrival from Ventura College. Van Dyke and Ogden hail from nearby Carlsbad in San Diego's North County.
HEAD COACH ERIC OLEN
Eric Olen is in his second season in charge of the UCSD men's basketball team. He led the Tritons to a 15-11 overall record and an 11-11 mark in the CCAA in 2013-14. Olen had previously served nine seasons as a Triton assistant before being named the program's 12th head coach on Oct. 1, 2013. Olen joined the Tritons as a second assistant for the 2004-05 season and was promoted to first assistant the next season. He was on the bench during the 2007-08 campaign when UCSD won its first CCAA tournament title and earned its first berth in the NCAA Division II Championship. As a player at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala., Olen helped the Badgers to three straight appearances in the NAIA National Tournament, including trips to the NAIA Elite Eight in 2000 and 2001.
FAMILIAR FACE BACK ON TRITON BENCH
Former UCSD standout and assistant coach Clint Allard is back in La Jolla this season. Allard was the Tritons' point guard from 2004-08 and remains No. 4 on the all-time assists chart with 414, and No. 2 for the Division II era behind only the just-graduated James McCann. He was previously on the UCSD coaching staff for four seasons from 2008-12. Having spent 2012-13 and 2013-14 at CCAA foe Cal Poly Pomona, Allard returned to his alma mater in late April as the program's associate head coach.
ABOUT THE BRONCOS
Cal Poly Pomona brings a 6-2 overall record into Sunday's match-up. The Broncos are 2-1 in the CCAA and are among a four-team logjam for third place. They have won their last three games, including a 69-48 home victory against Bristol this past Monday. At 16.1 points/game, Terrence Drisdom leads the team and ranks third in the CCAA in scoring. Jordan Faison is averaging 14.0 points/game and Chad Haysbert is grabbing a team-high 6.3 rebounds/game. CPP is putting up 72.4 points/game and is holding opponents to just 60.4.
SERIES HISTORY
Cal Poly Pomona holds a commanding 25-9 advantage in the all-time series against UC San Diego. On Nov. 22, UCSD broke a 12-game losing skid against CPP with a 69-66 win in Pomona.
GEAR HERE
UCSD Athletics has partnered with Advanced-Online to provide a web-based, on-demand option for UCSD apparel and merchandise. Fans have access to over 600 products that can be processed and shipped within 24 hours. Visit the site at UCSDTritonsGear.com.
SOCIAL MEDIA - #TritonsRising
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UP NEXT
Following a holiday break, UCSD returns to league action early in 2015, hosting Cal State Stanislaus on Jan. 2 and Chico State on Jan. 3. Both games start at 7:30 p.m. at RIMAC Arena.
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