LA JOLLA, Calif. – Playing its first game in 290 days, UC San Diego showed no signs of rust, rolling to a 77-51 win over University of Saint Katherine in the Tritons' first-ever game as a Division I institution.
The Tritons (1-0) came out of the gates strong, building a 19-0 advantage less than five minutes into the game. Grad transfer
Jake Killingsworth wasted little time making an impact, scoring 12 first half points on 5-of-7 shooting. As a team, the Tritons scored 18 fast break points and forced 14 first half turnovers.
Four Tritons scored in double figures, led by 15 from Killingsworth. Defensively, UC San Diego limited the Firebirds to 34% shooting. All 14 active Tritons saw action in the opening night win.
TRITON TIDBITS
- Of all Division I schools playing or intending to play a non-conference schedule, UC San Diego was the second-to-last to get started. Only DePaul (Dec. 23) is slated to have a later non-conference opener.
- Senior point guard Mikey Howell is the only returning UC San Diego starter. Last season, he set a school record for assists in a season (215).
- Four Tritons scored their first collegiate points: Matt Gray, Jake Kosakowski, Bryce Pope, and Jace Roquemore.
- Going back to their final Division II season, the Tritons have now won 23 games in a row. UC San Diego hasn't lost since Dec. 5, 2019.
QUOTABLE
"It was great to be back out there in a competitive situation, we've been practicing for a long time," said head coach
Eric Olen. "Our guys have done a really good job of being patient, working hard. It's a little bit of a grind when it's practice after practice and the game is down the road. It's been a big challenge; our guys have handled it really well and they were excited to play against someone with a different jersey."
VIDEO: Interview with Eric Olen and Jake Killingsworth
UP NEXT
UC San Diego returns to action on Wednesday, when the Tritons host Saint Katherine in the second game of the two-game series. Game time is set for 4:02 p.m., and the contest will be broadcast on BigWest.TV.
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 37 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.
