UC SAN DIEGO VITALS
National Rank: 11 (NABC)/7 (D2SIDA)
Overall: 7-1
CCAA: 2-0
CCAA Standing: T-1st (Cal Poly Pomona, Chico State)
Home: 4-1
Away: 2-0
Neutral: 1-0
Streak: lost 1

THE SCHEDULE
Game 9
at Cal State Dominguez Hills (6-3, 0-1 CCAA)
Thursday, Dec. 17 • 5:30 p.m.
Torodome • Carson, Calif.
Live Stats • Live Video • Tickets

Game 10
vs. Cal State San Marcos (4-4, 2-1 CCAA)
Sunday, Dec. 20 • 3:00 p.m.
RIMAC Arena • La Jolla, Calif.
Live Stats • Live Video • Tickets

PROBABLE TRITON STARTERS
G - #2 Grant Jackson (So., 6-1/175): 5.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, .778 ft%, 24.1 mpg
G - #13 Adam Klie (Jr., 6-4/200): 15.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.6 apg, 28.1 mpg
G - #1 Aleks Lipovic (Jr., 6-4/196): 9.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, .500 3fg%, 23.4 mpg
F - #14 Drew Dyer (Sr., 6-6/215): 15.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, .510 3fg%, 28.9 mpg
C - #33 Zach McMillan (Sr., 6-7/215): 6.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.6 bpg, 19.3 mpg

ROSTER BREAKDOWN
• Starters Returning (7): George Buaku (G), Drew Dyer (F), Grant Jackson (G), Adam Klie (G), Aleks Lipovic (G), Zach McMillan (F/C), Hunter Walker (G/F)
• Starters Lost (0)
• Other Letterwinners Returning (3): Kenny Fraser (F), Brett Oosdyke (F), Jeff Van Dyke (G)
• Other Letterwinners Lost (3): Jordan Flannery (G/F), Treavon Francis (G/F), Chase Ogden (F)
• Newcomers (5): Anthony Ballestero (G), Koree Cox (G), Chris Hansen (C), Eric Patton (F), Ben Rico (G)

ALL-CONFERENCE RETURNERS
Three of the Tritons' returning starters - senior forward Drew Dyer, junior guard Adam Klie and senior guard/forward Hunter Walker - were named All-California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Second Team performers last season. Walker led UCSD in scoring at 12.3 points/game with Klie just behind at 12.2. Walker totaled a team-high 54 assists and Klie led all Tritons with 28 steals. Dyer averaged 11.4 points and held an .857 free throw percentage.

WEEKLY REWIND
In a battle of undefeated teams, UC San Diego lost its first contest of the season, 67-63 against third-ranked Western Oregon at RIMAC Arena on Dec. 14.
UCSD/WOU Recap
Eric Olen Postgame Interview

UC SAN DIEGO, VIASAT LAUNCH ONLINE STREAMING PARTNERSHIP
UC San Diego Athletics has partnered with local broadband services and technology company ViaSat to create UCSDtritons.tv, an online streaming platform. Initially, the channel will carry all Triton home basketball, volleyball and water polo games, a majority of baseball and softball contests, and a selection of home events featuring virtually all of UCSD's 23 intercollegiate sports. All broadcasts will be live, in high definition, and most will include audio talent. The Dec. 20 men's baskeball broadcast will be available free of charge. Starting Jan. 1, viewing will be subscription-based. A comprehensive package that gives viewers access to all streamed events from Jan. 1 through the end of the academic year will be available for $29.99. It is estimated that this will include between 50 and 75 games. A single game option can be purchased for $5.99. Fans will be able to purchase packages starting Monday, Dec. 21, and between that date and Jan. 1, buyers will receive a discounted price of $25.99.

START ME UP
UC San Diego's 7-0 start to the season is its best since joining the NCAA Division II ranks prior to its 2000-01 campaign. The Tritons had never kicked off a season with more than two consecutive victories. As a Division III squad in 1998-99, UCSD went 11-0, its best start in program history.

POLL POSITION
In the most recent NABC national poll (12/15), UC San Diego moved up from No. 14 to No. 11. West Liberty owns the top spot and is followed by Augustana and Western Oregon. Also from the CCAA, Cal Poly Pomona is ranked fifth and Chico State is 17th. Prior to this year, the Tritons had never been nationally-ranked as an NCAA Division II team.

POLL POSITION II
The D2SIDA national media poll was released on Dec. 15 as well, with the Tritons coming in at No. 7, up from No. 9. West Liberty is first, Midwestern State is second and Minnesota State-Moorehead is third. Cal Poly Pomona ranks eighth, while Chico State is receiving votes.

AGAINST THE RANKED
UC San Diego is 2-1 against national top-25 teams so far this season.
• UCSD 86, No. 10 Colorado School of Mines 74 (11/22)
• UCSD 76, No. 4 California Baptist 67 (11/24)
• No. 3 Western Oregon 67, No. 14 UCSD 63 (12/14)

QUICK STATS

CCAA STANDINGS
(through 12/14)
1. Cal Poly Pomona, 3-0
1. Chico State, 3-0
1. UC San Diego, 2-0
4. Humboldt State, 3-1
5. Cal State San Marcos, 2-1
5. Stanislaus State, 2-1
7. Cal State East Bay, 1-1
8. Cal State Monterey Bay, 1-2
9. Cal State Dominguez Hills, 0-1
9. Cal State L.A., 0-2
9. Cal State San Bernardino, 0-2
9 SF State, 0-3
9. Sonoma State, 0-3

DYER 1K
Senior forward Drew Dyer is rapidly closing in on 1,000 career points. Heading into Thursday's game, he has amassed 960 points over 84 career games, good for 11.4 points/game. Dyer will be the 13th Triton all-time and the fourth in the program's DII history to hit the mark. The last player to do so was James McCann, who totaled 1,339 points between 2010 and 2014.

FOUR ON THE FLOOR
UC San Diego defeated fourth-ranked California Baptist, 76-67, on Nov. 24 in La Jolla. The last time the Tritons beat a higher nationally-ranked team was back in 2006 when they downed No. 2 Montevallo, 61-60, in Las Vegas. 

NO ERROR IN THIS MARGIN
The Tritons' 40-point (76-36) victory at Notre Dame de Namur on Nov. 28 was the team's largest winning margin since defeating UC Merced by 59 (92-33) in December of 2013.

UC SAN DIEGO IN THE NCAA STAT RANKINGS
(through 12/13)
Team (all games, in top 50)
2. Scoring Defense (57.7)
3. Three-Point Field Goal Defense (23.2)
4. Field Goal Percentage Defense (36.3)
6. Scoring Margin (19.3)
7. Field Goal Percentage (51.8)
16. Turnovers/Game (10.9)
18. Three-Point Field Goal Percentage (42.6)
19. Rebound Margin (8.1)
27. Fewest Turnovers (76)
40. Fewest Fouls (123)

Individual (all games, in top 100)
13. Aleks Lipovic, Three-Point Field Goal Percentage (52.8)
19. Drew Dyer, Three-Point Field Goal Percentage (51.2)
44. Drew Dyer, Three-Point Field Goals/Game (3.14)
51. Zach McMillan, Blocks/Game (1.71)
70. Zach McMillan, Blocks (12)
90. Drew Dyer, Three-Point Field Goals (22)
96. Aleks Lipovic, Three-Point Field Goals/Game (2.71)

UC SAN DIEGO IN THE CCAA STAT RANKINGS
(through 12/14)
Team (league games, in top 3)
1. Field Goal Percentage (53.2)
1. Three-Point Field Goal Percentage (45.2)
1. Scoring Defense (58.5)
3. Free Throw Percentage (72.2)
3. Rebounds/Game (36.5)
T-3. Blocks/Game (3.0)
T-3. Points/Game (75.0)

DYER NAMED CCAA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Drew Dyer was named the CCAA Player of the Week on Nov. 24. He shot 55 percent (12-22) from the field and drained eight of 13 three-pointers to lead UC San Diego to a pair of victories the week prior. In an 86-74 win against No. 10 Colorado School of Mines, Dyer finished with 19 points and nine rebounds, both game-highs. He was 4-for-6 from behind the arc. He then had 16 points and netted four treys as the Tritons defeated Winona State, 77-60. For the week, Dyer led UCSD in points (35), points/game (17.5), field goal percentage and three-pointers made and was tied for the team lead in rebounds (10) and rebounds/game (5.0).

TRITONS SIGN 6-7 FORWARD SCOTT EVERMAN
The UC San Diego men's basketball team received a commitment from six-foot-seven forward Scott Everman to play for the Tritons next season during the NCAA's early signing period. Currently a senior at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara, Everman was named First Team All-Channel League and First Team All-City as a junior. He averaged 15 points and seven rebounds, leading the Royals to a 21-10 record. Everman earned MVP honors at the 2014 Jim Bashore Holiday Cage Classic.

WHAT DO THE COACHES THINK?
2015-16 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Chico State, 137 points (8 first-place votes)
2. Cal Poly Pomona, 124 (1)
3. UC San Diego, 121 (2)
4. Cal State San Bernardino, 116 (2)
5. Cal State San Marcos, 81
6. SF State, 80
7. Humboldt State, 74
8. Cal State L.A., 73
9. Cal State Monterey Bay, 63
10. Stanislaus State, 48
11. Cal State East Bay, 44
12. Sonoma State, 34
13. Cal State Dominguez Hills, 19

2014-15 AT A GLANCE
UC San Diego went 16-11 overall and 14-8 in the CCAA, placing fifth and earning a berth in the conference tournament. The 14 league victories were the most since the Tritons joined the CCAA for the 2000-01 season. In addition, the team's 16 wins were the most since its 2008-09 campaign. A six-game win streak in January equaled UCSD's longest since becoming an NCAA Division II team for the 2000-01 season. UC San Diego held opponents to 61.5 points/game, the sixth-best scoring defense in the country. The Tritons kept a tight grip on the basketball, turning it over just 291 times, the fourth-fewest giveaways in the country. At 10.8 turnovers/game, UCSD ranked 14th nationally.

HEAD COACH ERIC OLEN
Eric Olen is in his third season in charge of the UC San Diego men's basketball team. He holds a 31-22 (.585) overall record and a 25-19 (.568) CCAA mark through his first two campaigns. Olen had previously served nine seasons as a Triton assistant before being named the program's 12th head coach on Oct. 1, 2013. He joined the Tritons as a second assistant for the 2004-05 season and was promoted to first assistant the next year. Olen 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.

ABOUT CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS
The Toros bring a 6-3 overall record (2-0 at home) and an 0-1 CCAA mark into Thursday's game. Their league loss came on Dec. 5 at Cal Poly Pomona (86-53). Most recently, CSUDH ripped Bethesda College, 91-68, in Carson. Ivan Dooley is averaging a healthy 15.8 points/game, followed by Justin Sadler at 14.7. Shaquille Hunter (12.3) and Vincent Golson (11.6) are also in double figures. Sadler is the team's top rebounder, hauling in 7.9 boards/game. The Toros are out-scoring opponents by just two points (76-74) and rebounds are dead even at 36/game. Dominguez Hills has been shooting well, holding advantages in overall field goal percentage (.484-.437) and three-point field goal percentage (.435-.306). UC San Diego is 23-17 against Cal State Dominguez Hills and has won the last five match-ups.

ABOUT CAL STATE SAN MARCOS
The Cougars come into Sunday's game at an even 4-4 overall (1-3 on the road) and 2-1 in the CCAA. They suffered a heart-breaking, 83-82, loss at Chico State on Dec. 12 as the Wildcats hit a half-court shot at the final buzzer. CSUSM's conference victories came against Humboldt State (84-79 OT) and Sonoma State (67-60), both at home. Darnell Taylor, the reigning CCAA Player of the Week, leads the team in scoring at 20.4 points/game. Taran Brown is averaging 13.5 points and Andrew Bournes is at 12.3. Declan Daly is grabbing 8.8 rebounds/game. San Marcos leads all CCAA teams in free throw percentage (.785) and blocks/game (4.3). The Cougars are second in points/game (81.9). The Dec. 20 match-up will be the first-ever between UC San Diego and Cal State San Marcos.

GEAR UP
For the latest in Triton athletic gear, make sure to visit UCSDtritonsgear.com. Run by UC San Diego Athletics' online partner Advanced-Online, the site provides an on-demand option for Triton Athletic apparel and merchandise. Fans have access to over 600 products which can be produced and shipped in 24 hours.

FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events and much more!

SOCIAL MEDIA - #TritonsRising
UCSD Athletics on Facebook (UCSDtritons)
UCSD Athletics on Instagram (UCSDtritons)
UCSD Athletics on Twitter (UCSDtritons)
UCSD Athletics on YouTube (UCSDathletics)
Head Coach Eric Olen on Twitter (CoachEricOlen)
Associate Head Coach Clint Allard on Twitter (CoachAllard)
UCSD Men's Basketball on Facebook (UCSD-Mens-Basketball)

UP NEXT
Following next Sunday's home game against Cal State San Marcos, UC San Diego won't play again until it hosts Humboldt State on New Year's Day (7:30 p.m.). On Jan. 2 (7:30 p.m.), the Tritons entertain Cal Poly Pomona.

#TritonsRising