ONE MORE BOARD
Redshirt senior forward Christian Oshita needs just one more rebound to become the eighth player in UC San Diego's Division II program history to collect 500 career rebounds. Earlier this season, senior center Chris Hansen became UC San Diego's all-time leading rebounder at the Division II level.
 
UC San Diego Career Rebounds (Division II)

Chris Hansen	2015-present	667
Adam Klie	2013-2017	625
Justin Brue	2009-2013	564
Drew Dyer	2012-2016	563
Shane Poppen	2005-2009	544
Christian Hatch	2008-2012	523
Casey Ryan	2007-2011	511
Christian Oshita	2016-present	499

 
NCAA LEADERBOARD
In the latest NCAA statistics (December 23), UC San Diego ranks in the national top five in several categories:
 
NCAA 3-Point Field Goals

Embry-Riddle	176
UC San Diego	155
Adelphi	155
Shepherd	154
Union Tennessee	152

 
NCAA Assist-Turnover Ratio

Michigan Tech	2.11
UC San Diego	2.03
Glenville State	1.86
Embry-Riddle	1.85
Nova Southeastern	1.71

 
NCAA Free-Throw Percentage

Cedarville	83.3
Rogers State	82.5
Bellarmine	81.8
Fort Hays State	81.7
UC San Diego	81.4

 
OPPORTUNISTIC
Junior forward Marek Sullivan has made the most of his four starts since filling in for the injured Chris Hansen beginning Dec. 5. Sullivan has averaged 13.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.8 steals in four games as a starter, while shooting 71%. For his efforts, Sullivan nabbed UCSDtritons.com Athlete of the Week recognition on Dec. 9 and again on Dec. 23.
 
SHARING THE ROCK
Junior guard Mikey Howell leads the CCAA and ranks fifth nationally in assists at 7.7 per game, and his assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.2 through the Tritons' first 11 contests is also tops in the conference and seventh in the nation (as of December 23). He posted a career-high 12 assists in the win over No. 24 Point Loma (11/19) and matched that at Notre Dame de Namur (11/30).
 
UC San Diego Career Assist Leaders (Division II)

James McCann	2010-14	469
Clint Allard	2004-08	414
Adam Klie	2013-17	338
Kelvin Kim	2006-09	300
Mikey Howell	2017-present	283
Cameron Jackson	2000-04	266

 
HOT START
UC San Diego won its first eight games of the season, marking the program's best start since joining NCAA Division II for the 2000-01 season. It was the program's best start since the 1998-99 team began the season 11-0 as a member of NCAA Division III. That remains the Tritons' best start at any level in school history.
 
NEWEST MEMBER OF THE CLUB
Senior forward Scott Everman joined the 1,000 point club with his nine point effort vs. Holy Names (11/29). Everman is the third member of this year's Tritons to have tallied more than 1,000 career points.
 
UC San Diego Career 1,000 Point Scorers (Division II)

Adam Klie	2013-17	1524
Jordan Lawley	2006-10	1398
Chris Hansen	2015-present	1366
James McCann	2010-14	1339
Drew Dyer	2012-16	1333
Christian Oshita	2016-present	1173
Clint Allard	2004-08	1150
Scott Everman	2017-present	1036

 
GOING POLLING
The Tritons are ranked 6th in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) poll. In the most recent D2SIDA Top 25, the Tritons are ranked fourth. UC San Diego holds the top spot in the west region survey.
 
ROBERTS HONORED AS UCSDTRITONS.COM ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Sophomore Tyrell Roberts earned the title of UCSDtritons.com Athlete of the Week (Dec. 2) for his performances at the NDNU Thanksgiving Classic. In the win over Holy Names, Roberts scored a career-high 28 points while knocking down a personal-best 11 field goals. Over two games for the week, he averaged 19 points, 3.5 assists, shot 15-24 (.625), 5-12 from three, and 3-3 from the free throw line. Roberts doled out seven assists while committing only two turnovers.
 
BIG SHOES TO FILL
Senior center Chris Hansen has not played due to a foot injury since Nov. 30. An NCAA.com Preseason Player of the Year candidate, Hansen was last year's CCAA Player of the Year and named CCAA Male Athlete of the Year in 2018-19.
 
BLOCK PARTY
Chris Hansen needs only 10 more blocked shots to become UC San Diego's all-time blocks leader in Division II.
 
UC San Diego Career Blocks (Division II)

Justin Brue	2009-2013	90
Chris Hansen	2015-present	81
Scott Everman	2017-present	45

 
OSHITA GARNERS CCAA RECOGNITION
Redshirt senior forward Christian Oshita was named the CCAA Men's Basketball Player of the Week on Nov. 26. Oshita averaged 21 points and 8.3 rebounds as the fourth-ranked Tritons went 3-0, with wins over No. 24 Point Loma and a pair of CCAA foes. He scored 23 points and matched his career high with 15 boards in the win over No. 24 Point Loma. At Cal State San Bernardino, Oshita scored 34 points -- one shy of his career high -- on 10-15 shooting and 6-9 from long range.
 
HANSEN EARNS OPENING WEEK CCAA HONORS
Hansen was named the CCAA Player of the Week on November 12, after earning Tournament MVP honors in the CCAA/GNAC Challenge. For the week, Hansen averaged 23 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists during the tournament. Hansen shot 51.5% (17-33) including 42.1% (8-19) from beyond the free throw arc. He was a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line.
 
HEAD COACH ERIC OLEN
Head coach Eric Olen is in his seventh season as the Tritons' head coach. Olen has posted a 140-56 record and a .714 winning percentage as UC San Diego's head coach. He has led the Tritons to first place conference finishes twice in the last three seasons, and was the CCAA Coach of the Year in 2016-17.
 
PRESEASON FAVORITES
UC San Diego has once again been picked first in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Preseason Coaches Poll. UC San Diego received 143 total points and 11 of 13 first-place votes from the league's head coaches. This marks the second consecutive season in which the Tritons have been selected first in the survey. Last season, the Tritons posted a 26-8 record and captured the CCAA tournament title, ultimately making a run to the NCAA Division II West Regional semifinals.
 
EXPERIENCED SQUAD RETURNS IN 2019-20
This year's squad returns four starters including redshirt senior All-American Chris Hansen. Last year's CCAA Player of the Year, Hansen averaged 14.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. In addition to Hansen, guards Tyrell Roberts and Mikey Howell, and forward Scott Everman return. Roberts was last year's CCAA Newcomer of the Year, averaging better than 14 points per game. Howell led the Tritons in assists, finishing third in the conference in assist/turnover ratio at 2.3. Everman contributed 9.5 points while finishing second on the team in blocked shots behind Hansen. Also returning to the floor for UC San Diego is redshirt senior Christian Oshita, who was leading the team in scoring at 19.5 points per game before he was sidelined with a season-ending shoulder injury.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
UC San Diego heads north next week for a pair of CCAA contests. The Tritons visit Stanislaus State on Jan. 9 and Humboldt State on Jan. 11.
 
UC SAN DIEGO PARTNERS WITH ESPN NETWORKS
All UC San Diego home men's and women's basketball games and men's and women's volleyball matches will be broadcast live on ESPN3, making the Tritons one of just three NCAA Division II programs to have all of its home basketball games air live on ESPN Networks.
 
GET SOCIAL WITH UC SAN DIEGO HOOPS
Keep up with the Tritons all season long on social media through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The team's handle is @ucsdmbb.
 
BIG WEST BOUND
UC San Diego is in its 20th and final year playing as an NCAA Division II team. In July of 2020, the entire athletics program will begin a four-year transition to NCAA Division I, culminating in full DI status as a member of the Big West Conference for the 2024-25 academic year. At that time, all sports will be eligible for conference and NCAA postseason play.
 
FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!
 
GEAR
For the latest Triton apparel and accessories, visit the official team store of the Tritons here.
 
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.
 
Follow The Tritons
For complete coverage and information regarding UC San Diego Athletics, follow the Tritons online at UCSDtritons.com and through social media on Twitter (@ucsdtritons), Instagram (@ucsdtritons) and Facebook (ucsdtritons).