LA JOLLA, Calif. - Needing a win to keep itself in the running for a share of the conference regular season title, the 19th-ranked UC San Diego men's basketball team grinded out a 76-73 overtime victory against San Francisco State Friday night at RIMAC Arena.
UCSD improved to 20-5 overall and 15-4 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The 15 CCAA victories are the most for the team since joining the league prior to the 2000-01 season.
The Tritons will need a win against Sonoma State Saturday as well as a Chico State loss at Cal State LA in order to share the league's regular season crown with the Wildcats. UCSD will be the No. 2 seed in next week's CCAA Tournament and will host the seventh seed on Tuesday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m.
With UC San Diego trailing by three points with just 16 seconds remaining in regulation, sophomore guard Anthony Ballestero drilled his fourth three-pointer of the game to tie the score at 65-65 and send it into overtime, the Tritons' first extra period game of the season.
Down by two points in OT, freshman center Chris Hansen made a layup at the 2:35 mark, was fouled and sank the and-one to put UCSD up by a score of 70-69. Aleks Lipovic followed with a three-pointer to give the Tritons a four-point cushion with 1:58 left. Twice the Gators got back within two points, but UCSD held on for the victory.
UC San Diego led for most of the game, including the entire first half. Its largest lead was 11 when Koree Cox netted a trey to put the Tritons up 30-19 with 3:06 left in the opening frame. They led 33-26 at the break.
In the second half, the score was tied four times before SFSU got its first lead of the night. With 1:41 on the clock, the Gators started a six-point run and led 65-62 before Ballestero canned his long-range shot to set up the extra period.
Hansen finished with 27 points, a career-high. He was 10-for-16 from the floor and 7-for-7 from the free throw line. He also matched a career-best with 11 rebounds, completing his fourth double-double of the season. All of his numbers came in just 23 minutes of work.
Ballestero also established a new career-high with his 12 points. Grant Jackson and Adam Klie each had 10 points and Klie added a career-best 13 boards for his fourth double-double this year. The junior guard also handed out six assists.
The Tritons out-rebounded the Gators, 48-32.
SF State (15-10, 9-10 CCAA) got 21 points out of Floyd Wormley, 12 of those coming off three pointers. He also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Warren Jackson had 15 points and Treaven Duffy totaled 13.
The Tritons swept the regular season series from the Gators as they also won, 73-48, on Jan. 7 in San Francisco.
Saturday's 7:30 p.m. game against Sonoma State (13-12, 8-11 CCAA) at RIMAC Arena will close out the regular season. The Tritons handily defeated the Seawolves, 69-55, on Dec. 2 in Rohnert Park. SSU, along with SF State and Cal State LA, are still in the mix for tourney seeds six, seven and eight.
Saturday is also Senior Night and Drew Dyer and Zach McMillan will be recognized prior to playing in the final regular season game of their careers. Both have been with the Tritons for four years.
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