SAN FRANCISCO - The 11th-ranked University of California San Diego men's basketball team drained seven three-pointers in the first half and never trailed in the game as it secured a 67-55 conference victory at No. 16 San Francisco State Friday night.
With its seventh-consecutive win, UC San Diego moved to 14-2 overall and stayed alone in first place with a perfect 9-0 mark in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). SF State, which lost for the first time at home, fell to 13-2 and 6-2.
"I thought we played very well on both ends of the floor tonight," said UCSD head coach Eric Olen. "We shared the ball offensively and forced difficult shots on defense."
Anthony Ballestero led all players with a career-high 18 points for the Tritons. The junior guard was 4-for-7 shooting, all from behind the three-point arc. He also added five rebounds and a steal and made all six of his free throws.
Adam Klie also hit double figures in points for UCSD, recording 14 to accompany a team-best eight boards. The senior guard also had five assists and two steals. Fellow senior guard Aleks Lipovic finished with eight points, six assists and two rebounds, while sophomore forward Christian Oshita had nine points.
UCSD shot 43.6 percent (24-55) for the game and held SFSU to just 31.6 percent (18-57) from the floor. The Tritons overcame 15 turnovers, which matched a season-high. They entered the night averaging 9.4 turnovers per game, the best in the CCAA and ranked fourth nationally.
UC San Diego opened each half on a 6-0 run. Junior guard George Buaku and Lipovic kicked off the night with back-to-back treys. Junior forward Kenny Fraser, Klie and Oshita all had buckets to start the second half.
The Tritons led 31-24 at the intermission. With 49 seconds left in the game, San Francisco State cut the UCSD lead to six, 61-55, on a Warren Jackson layup. However, the visitors scored the final six points, all coming on Ballestero free throws.
Coley Apsay had 16 points and Jackson totaled 11 for SF State. Israel Hakim grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. The Gators, who lead the league in steals, totaled eight.
"It was great to win on the road against a tough opponent," said Olen.
UC San Diego plays its fourth-straight game away from home Saturday at Sonoma State (10-4, 6-2). The Seawolves, who are receiving votes in the national poll, defeated Cal State San Bernardino Friday by a score of 66-56.
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