LA JOLLA, Calif. - The UC San Diego men's basketball team made 12 three-pointers and shot over 50 percent from the floor en route to defeating Cal State Monterey Bay, 84-61, Saturday night at RIMAC Arena.
With the win, UCSD improved to 12-6 overall and 10-4 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The Tritons moved into a tie for third place in the league with Cal State Stanislaus. It was the third consecutive loss for CSUMB, which fell to 9-11 and 5-9.
UCSD netted 53.2 percent (33-62) of its shots in the game, the team's second-highest shooting percentage of the season. The Tritons were on fire in the first half, sinking 63.3 percent (19-30) of their attempts. It was the sixth time this season they drained 12 or more three-pointers.
Adam Klie finished with a team-high 17 points on 8-for-11 shooting. He also had three rebounds, an assist and a steal. Jeff Van Dyke (Carlsbad/La Costa Canyon HS) made good on five of his seven three-point shots to finish with 15 points in 18 minutes of floor time. Drew Dyer and Aleks Lipovic each had 10 points for the Tritons, while freshman Grant Jackson pulled down a career-high eight rebounds.
It was also a strong showing on the defensive side of the ball for UCSD. The Tritons had eight steals and forced 11 turnovers while losing the ball just five times themselves. Jackson and Zach McMillan each had a pair of steals.
In the latest NCAA statistical report, UCSD ranks 11th nationally in scoring defense, holding opponents to just 61.9 points per game.
UC San Diego, which led from the opening tip to the final buzzer, rolled to a 10-0 lead over the first 6:24 of the game. Klie had six points during the run and finished the half with 10, converting all five of his shot attempts. At halftime, the Tritons led by a score of 43-21.
With 7:13 left in the second half, Hunter Walker hit a trey to put UCSD up by 30 points, 76-46, its largest lead of the game.
For the Otters, Isaiah Smith recorded a game-high 18 points. Alex Fertig had 11 points and Daye Turner doled out six assists.
After playing nine of its last 11 games at home, UCSD now hits the road for the next two weeks. The Tritons play at Chico State on Feb. 6 and at Cal State Stanislaus on Feb. 7. Chico is currently tied for first place in the CCAA with Cal Poly Pomona.
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