BELLINGHAM, Wash. – UC San Diego redshirt senior center Chris Hansen scored a game-high 25 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the fifth-ranked Tritons to a 76-69 victory over host Western Washington in the finale of the CCAA/GNAC Challenge Saturday night at Carver Gym. For his efforts, Hansen was named Tournament MVP, averaging 23 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists during the two-day event.
"Chris has been really good for us," said UC San Diego head coach Eric Olen. "The effort and competitiveness he and Christian [Oshita] and Scott [Everman], our seniors, have given us these first two nights has really set the tone for the rest of the team. Their efforts have been off the charts – and we've needed that."
The win improved the Tritons' early season record to 2-0, while the Vikings fell to 1-1.
It was a lightning quick start for both teams in the first half. UC San Diego sank five of its first eight shot attempts, and Western Washington scored on six of its first 10 tries. Hansen scored the Tritons' first eight points of the game, and senior forward Scott Everman scored the next five. At the 14:16 mark, the Vikings held a 14-13 lead.
The action continued back-and-forth over the remainder of the first half, with neither team building a lead larger than six points. UC San Diego redshirt sophomore Tyrell Roberts buried a jumper as time expired, knotting the score at 36 apiece entering halftime. In all, there were a dozen lead changes over the first 20 minutes.
Everman led all scorers with 14 first half points, while Hansen contributed 10 points and six rebounds. The Tritons shot 52% (14-27) over the first 20 minutes, and UC San Diego scored 10 points off turnovers.
The second half began much like the first half ended, with each team trading buckets. The Tritons finally began to create some space when junior guard Mikey Howell found Hansen on a layup at the 8:03 mark, giving UC San Diego its largest lead of the game to that point, at 62-55. Howell finished with seven assists.
With 3:26 to go, the Tritons lead was one, at 65-64. UC San Diego closed the game on an 11-5 run to earn the road win.
Everman and Roberts scored 15 points each, while redshirt senior guard Christian Oshita scored 13. Oshita, who scored 16 points Friday, was also named to the All-Tournament Team. Howell added eight to round out the Tritons' scoring. Unlike Friday night's contest when UC San Diego played 14 players, the Tritons went only eight deep on Saturday, and did not get any points off the bench.
The Tritons defense limited Western Washington to just 38.7% shooting. Picked to finish first in the GNAC preseason poll, the Vikings also hurt themselves by connecting on just 10-of-16 free throw attempts. Conversely, UC San Diego was 13-15 from the free throw line.
"Any time you can get a win on road in the region – especially against really talented team like Western Washington, you've got to be pleased with the result," Olen added. "I was particularly proud of the poise we showed down the stretch."
Trevor Jasinsky was one of five Vikings to score in double figures. He paced the home team with 13 points. Luke Lovelady added 10 points and 11 rebounds in a losing effort.
No. 5 UC San Diego wraps up its three-game trip Monday night, when the Tritons visit Saint Martin's. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. from Marcus Pavilion in Lacey, Wash.
About UC San Diego Athletics
With 30 national team championships, nearly 150 individual titles and the top student-athlete graduation rate among Division II institutions in the United States, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program annually ranks as one of the most successful in the country. The Tritons sponsor 23 intercollegiate sport programs that compete on the NCAA Division I and II levels and, in summer 2020, will transition into full Division I status as a member of the Big West Conference. UC San Diego student-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent. A total of 82 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 37 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. In competition, more than 1,300 UC San Diego student-athletes have earned All-America honors.
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