AZUSA, Calif. – The No. 6/7 University of California San Diego women's basketball team came away with a 76-68 win over Western Washington on Friday evening at Felix Event Center in Azusa to open the West Region Crossover Classic. With the victory, the Tritons improve to 2-0 on the season and hand the Vikings their first loss, as they fall to 2-1.
After trailing throughout the first quarter, UC San Diego overcame the deficit in the second. The Tritons opened the second period with a strong 12-point run, as the Vikings went 0-5 in field goals during that span. At halftime, the Tritons held a narrow 32-31 advantage.
In the final two quarters, UC San Diego never surrendered its lead. The Tritons outscored the Vikings 44-37 in the latter 20 minutes.
"It was a hard-fought win by our team," said Head Coach
Heidi VanDerveer. "We dug a hole early and made some nice runs to gain control of the game. We stuck with things and made some big plays through the fourth quarter."
Julia Macabuhay shined in the victory. After tying her career-high in points during UC San Diego's season opener (19), Macabuhay went off for 25 points as she played 24 minutes in the Tritons' win over the Vikings.
Fellow starters
Tyla Turner and
Brianna Claros also put up double-digit points in the victory. Turner contributed a team-best eight rebounds as well.
Claros went 4-for-4 from the free throw line. As a team, the Tritons were 12-for-18 in free throw attempts.
For VanDerveer, the performances by the Triton guards was a highlight of the game.
"Our guard play was great," VanDerveer said. "Julia gave excellent energy."
The Tritons will be back in action tomorrow evening for the conclusion of the West Region Crossover Classic. UC San Diego will face Seattle Pacific at 6 p.m.
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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