HAYWARD, Calif. – The fourth-ranked UC San Diego men's basketball team captured its third California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) regular season title on Thursday, thanks to a 62-55 victory over Cal State East Bay on Thursday night. The win was the Tritons' 17th straight.
 
"It's a really big accomplishment and our guys deserve a lot of credit for how consistent they've been in a really good league – including East Bay," said UC San Diego head coach Eric Olen when asked about his team's regular season CCAA title. "It's a long season and they've been consistent in their performance all season."

UC San Diego improved to 25-1 overall and 19-1 in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play. The Tritons are 12-0 on the road this season.
 
UC San Diego got off to a strong start out of the gates. Sophomore guard Tyrell Roberts knocked down two quick shots and he found junior guard Mikey Howell who buried a three, and the Tritons led 7-2 less than three minutes into the contest. Cal State East Bay (14-11 overall, 10-9 CCAA) punched back with a 12-2 run of its own and the Pioneers went in front, 14-9, with 10:54 to go in the half.
 
The Tritons countered with a 9-2 run to go back in front by an 18-16 score with 7:31 remaining in the first. However, the Pioneers once again responded as the Tritons went ice cold from the field. Cal State East Bay closed the first half on an 11-0 run to take a 31-24 lead into halftime.
 
UC San Diego did not score for the final 3:59 of the period. The Tritons shot just 32% in the first half and connected on just 3-of-20 three-point tries (15%). Roberts led UC San Diego offensively with eight points. Howell and junior forward Marek Sullivan scored five apiece.
 
Cal State East Bay held a 24-13 rebounding advantage over the first 20 minutes.
 
When the second half began, UC San Diego began to find its rhythm from the outside. Senior forward Christian Oshita and Sullivan each connected on three-pointers to draw the Tritons to within three points. With 15:06 remaining, senior center Chris Hansen buried his second 3 of the night and the Tritons tied the score at 35-35. That Hansen triple was part of a 12-2 UC San Diego run that put the Tritons on top, 39-37, with 12:39 left.
 
With 7:56 to play, Howell found Sullivan who drove the lane and dunked to give the Tritons a double-digit lead, 51-41. UC San Diego held strong down the stretch to earn the 62-55 triumph.
 

Champs!#GoTritons pic.twitter.com/O9cbAqoc03

— UC San Diego Men's Hoops (@UCSDmbb) February 21, 2020

Oshita led all scorers with 25 points – including 22 after halftime – and he finished with nine rebounds. Roberts finished with 12 and Sullivan posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards. Howell scored seven, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out six assists.
 
The Tritons struggled shooting all night, connecting on 40% of their shot attempts – well below their season average of 50%. UC San Diego hit 26% of its attempts from beyond the arc and just 58% of its free throw attempts. The Pioneers enjoyed a 40-33 advantage on the glass.

"There were some stretches where we had trouble generating good looks," Olen explained. "Our defense kept us in the game. In the second half, that was as good as we've played on that end of the floor [this season]."

UC San Diego continues its three-game road trip on Saturday, when the Tritons visit Cal State Monterey Bay. Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m. from Seaside.
 
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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