LA JOLLA, Calif. - Continuing its winning ways, the unbeaten and 22nd-ranked UC San Diego men's basketball team defeated league rival Cal State Monterey Bay, 81-62, Friday night at RIMAC Arena.
UCSD improved to 7-0 overall and 2-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). CSUMB fell to 2-5 and 0-1.
The Tritons shot a season-high .532, making 33 of 62 shot attempts. They have shot north of .500 in all seven games thus far this season. UCSD was also strong on the boards, out-rebounding CSUMB 44-27. The Otters were held to .377 shooting (23-61).
Chris Hansen led the Tritons with 17 points, going 8-for-11 from the floor while grabbing five rebounds in 20 minutes of play.
Three other Tritons joined Hansen with 10 or more points, including Drew Dyer (15), Adam Klie (13) and George Buaku (career-high 12). Dyer made three of UCSD's eight three-pointers and Klie dished out five assists. Aleks Lipovic hauled in a game-high 10 boards and Zach McMillan had three blocks.
Ryan Nitz had a game-best 22 points for the Otters. Mateo Jones finished with 10 points and Gregg Polosky led the team on the glass with eight rebounds.
Once again, Lipovic got UC San Diego out to a 3-0 lead by hitting a three-pointer. A 13-0 run that started at the 5:48 mark of the first half had the Tritons leading by 12, 35-23, with 2:23 left. They were up 41-30 at halftime.
The Otters got back within four, 41-37, early in the second half, but would come no closer. A three-pointer by Anthony Ballestero with just under a minute left in the game put UC San Diego up by 24, 81-57, its largest lead of the evening.
The Tritons scored 40 of their 81 points in the paint.
Off next week for final exams, UCSD returns to action on Dec. 14 when it hosts non-conference opponent Western Oregon at 7 p.m. Also 7-0, the Wolves are ranked fourth nationally.
#TritonsRising
