LA JOLLA, Calif. – The CCAA regular season champion UC San Diego men's basketball team begins defense of its 2019 conference tournament title on Tuesday night, when the fourth-ranked Tritons host Cal State LA in a CCAA Tournament quarterfinal at RIMAC Arena.
The winner of Tuesday night's game will face the winner of the quarterfinal between No. 4 Cal State San Bernardino and No. 5 Cal State East Bay. That semifinal will take place at 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon at RIMAC Arena on the UC San Diego campus.
DETAILS
Game 29 - CCAA Quarterfinal
Cal State LA (13-16 overall, 8-14 CCAA) at No. 4 UC San Diego (27-1, 21-1)
Tuesday, March 3
8 p.m.
RIMAC Arena, La Jolla
ESPN3 |
Live Stats |
Tickets
Series Record: UC San Diego leads, 25-16
Last Meeting: UC San Diego 80, Cal State LA 67 (2/15/20, RIMAC Arena)
ATTENDING UC SAN DIEGO HOME GAMES
Parking permits are required seven days a week on campus. For UC San Diego Parking information,
click here or download the
Parkmobile smartphone or web application. The parking lot nearest RIMAC Arena is the Hopkins Parking Structure, located south of the arena at 9730 Hopkins Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093.
CCAA TOURNAMENT TICKETS
Prices for the CCAA Tournament are as follows:
Reserved Courtside: $20
General Admission: $10
Seniors (60+): $5
Youth (3-12): $5
Active Military (w/ID): $5
Students (All currently-enrolled CCAA students): $3
Children Under 3-years-old: Free
The first 500 currently-enrolled UC San Diego students will receive free tickets courtesy of the UC San Diego Athletics Department.
CCAA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals - Tuesday, March 3
No. 8 Cal State LA at No. 1 UC San Diego, 8:02 p.m.
No. 7 Cal State Dominguez Hills at No. 2 Cal Poly Pomona, 7:30 p.m.
No. 6 Stanislaus State at No. 3 Chico State, 7:30 p.m.
No. 5 Cal State East Bay at No. 4 Cal State San Bernardino, 7 p.m.
Semifinals - Friday, March 6 (RIMAC Arena)
Winner of 2/7 vs. winner of 3/6, 12:02 p.m.
Winner of 1/8 vs. winner of 4/5, 2:32 p.m.
Championship - Saturday, March 7 (RIMAC Arena)
Championship game, 5:02 p.m.
All CCAA tournament games played at UC San Diego will be broadcast live on ESPN3
ABOUT NO. 4 UC SAN DIEGO
Roster |
Schedule |
Stats
Overall: 27-1
CCAA: 21-1
Home: 11-1
Away: 14-0
Neutral: 2-0
vs. Ranked Opponents: 2-0
Wearing Blue Uniforms: 15-0
Wearing White Uniforms: 12-1
When Leading at Half: 23-0
When Tied at Half: 1-0
When Trailing at Half: 3-1
Overtime Games: 1-0
Streak: W19
NABC Ranking: 4
D2SIDA Ranking: 3
ABOUT CAL STATE LA
Roster |
Schedule |
Stats
Overall: 14-15
CCAA: 8-14
Home: 9-7
Away: 4-8
Neutral: 0-0
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-3
Streak: L1
NABC Ranking: NR
D2SIDA Ranking: NR
BACK-TO-BACK REGULAR SEASON CHAMPS
UC San Diego clinched its second straight CCAA regular season title with a win at Cal State East Bay (2/20). The Tritons shared the CCAA regular season crown in 2018-19 before winning the conference tournament for the third consecutive season.
TRITON TOURNEY TALK
This is the ninth time overall and sixth straight year that UC San Diego has qualified for the CCAA Tournament (2008, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020). Last season, the Tritons won their fourth overall and third consecutive league tournament title (2008, 2017, 2018, 2019). The tournament winner gets an automatic berth into the NCAA West Regional which will be hosted by the top seed in the region.
POSTSEASON SUCCESS
UC San Diego has posted a 15-4 record all-time in the CCAA Tournament, winning nine straight games in the event.
GOING STREAKING
The Tritons enter Saturday's action having won 19 consecutive games, the program's longest winning streak in its NCAA Division II era (2000-01 to present).
A WIN TUESDAY…
A victory on Tuesday would give the Tritons 28 wins this season, establishing a new mark for the most wins in a season in program history.
20x5
The Tritons have surpassed the 20-win plateau for the fifth consecutive season and 10th time in program history.
RE-WRITING THE RECORD BOOKS
At 27-1, this year's Tritons are enjoying the best season in program history. UC San Diego won its first eight games of the season, marking the program's longest winning streak to start a season joining NCAA Division II for the 2000-01 season. The program's first men's basketball season was played in 1965-66.
#2 AND #14 FORM 1-2 PUNCH
Sophomore guard
Tyrell Roberts and senior forward
Christian Oshita both surpassed the 500-points scored plateau in the victory at Cal State San Marcos (2/29). That feat marked the first time in UC San Diego history the program has featured multiple 500-point scorers in the same season. Those two continue rank among the conference leaders in many offensive categories. Roberts leads the CCAA in scoring at 18.6 points per game while Oshita is second at 18.4. In conference play, Roberts led the conference in scoring (18.9 ppg) and Oshita ranked second (18.7). Roberts was tops in the CCAA in 3FG per game during conference play at 3.41, and Oshita finished percentage points behind him at 3.37.
ROBERTS, OSHITA SINK ANOTHER UC SAN DIEGO RECORD
Tyrell Roberts and
Christian Oshita both surpassed the UC San Diego single season record for 3-point field goals made in the win at Cal State San Marcos (2/29).
UC San Diego Single Season 3-Point Field Goal Leaders
DISHING OUT A NEW RECORD
Junior guard
Mikey Howell has established a new UC San Diego single season record for assists, surpassing Bob Goodman '83. Howell leads the CCAA and ranks sixth nationally in assists at 7.0 per game, and his assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.2 is second in the conference. Howell has posted a career-high 12 assists three times so far this season, most recently doling out 12 helpers in the win at Sonoma State (1/25).
UC San Diego Single Season Assist Leaders
UC San Diego Career Assist Leaders (Division II)
| James McCann |
2010-14 |
469 |
| Clint Allard |
2004-08 |
414 |
| Mikey Howell |
2017-present |
387 |
| Adam Klie |
2013-17 |
338 |
| Kelvin Kim |
2006-09 |
300 |
| Cameron Jackson |
2000-04 |
266 |
LOOK MOM…WE'RE ON TV!
The Tritons are featured prominently on
Inside San Diego Sports with an in-depth feature on the program's remarkable season to date along with the pending transition to Division I. The story premiered on Feb. 24 and will air through March 11 on FOX Sports San Diego. To watch the story,
click here.
UC SAN DIEGO BASKETBALL SEASON TICKETS ON SALE
Season tickets for UC San Diego's first season of NCAA Division I basketball are now on sale. Purchasing season tickets is the only way to ensure access to every Tritons home basketball game in 2020-21 – including the season opener at RIMAC Arena vs. Cal. Full season tickets start at just $79. For more information or to secure your seats, visit
UCSDtritons.com/tickets.
NCAA LEADERBOARD
In the
latest NCAA statistics (Feb. 28), UC San Diego leads the nation in assist-turnover ratio and ranks fourth in three-point field goals made:
NCAA Assist-Turnover Ratio
| UC San Diego |
1.87 |
| Michigan Tech |
1.75 |
| Nova Southeastern |
1.73 |
| Northern State |
1.69 |
| West Liberty |
1.64 |
NCAA 3FG Made
| Embry-Riddle |
363 |
| Adelphi |
363 |
| Alaska Anchorage |
358 |
| UC San Diego |
339 |
| Lincoln Memorial |
338 |
OLEN EARNS MILESTONE VICTORY
In his seventh season as the Tritons' head coach,
Eric Olen became the second coach in program history to win 150 career games. He has posted a 156-56 record and a .736 winning percentage in 212 games as UC San Diego's head coach. Olen has led the Tritons to first place conference finishes three times in the last four seasons and was the CCAA Coach of the Year in 2016-17.
Coaching Victories – UC San Diego History
| Tom Marshall |
1983-1994 |
185 |
| Eric Olen |
2013-present |
156 |
| Greg Lanthier |
1999-2004 |
111 |
AH, THE COMFORTS OF…THE ROAD?
UC San Diego has been quite comfortable playing away from RIMAC Arena this season, compiling a 16-0 record away from home. The Tritons are 14-0 in true road games and 2-0 in neutral site games.
OSHITA EARNS LEAGUE RECOGNITION
Christian Oshita was recognized as the CCAA Player of the Week on Feb. 25 after averaging 22.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in a pair of road wins. Oshita shot 50% for the week (17-34) and sank nine 3-pointers. Oshita also
earned the CCAA honor back on Nov. 26.
ROBERTS EARNS CCAA ACCOLADES…AGAIN
Tyrell Roberts was recognized as the CCAA Player of the Week on Feb. 4 after averaging 24.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, three steals, and two assists per game. Roberts shot 44% (16-36) overall, 64% from beyond the three-point arc (9-14), and a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line. It was Roberts' second conference honor in three weeks. He was also named
CCAA Player of the Week on Jan. 21.
HADLEY IMPACTFUL OFF THE BENCH
Junior guard
Gabe Hadley was named the UCSDtritons.com Athlete of the Week on Jan. 27 after he averaged 19.5 points, five made 3FG per game, two assists and 1.5 steals per game in a pair of CCAA road wins at San Francisco State and Sonoma State. For the week, Hadley shot 13-26 (50%) overall and 10-21 (47.6%) from three-point range in 21 minutes per game off the bench.
CLEANING THE GLASS
On Jan. 2,
Christian Oshita became 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)
DOUBLE TROUBLE
With such a prolific offense, it's no surprise that a number of Tritons have recorded double-doubles so far this season.
TRITONS TO HOST CAL IN FIRST DIVISION I GAME
UC San Diego
will host the California Golden Bears at RIMAC Arena to open next season in the program's first Division I game. The showdown will take place on Nov. 10, 2020 in La Jolla.
SHARPSHOOTERS
A pair of current Tritons rank in the top five of the program's Division II history in three-point field goals made.
UC San Diego Career 3-Pointers (Division II)
OPPORTUNISTIC
Junior forward
Marek Sullivan averaged 8.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.2 steals in 15 games as a starter while
Chris Hansen was injured, shooting 60%. For his efforts, Sullivan nabbed UCSDtritons.com Athlete of the Week recognition on Dec. 9 and again on Dec. 23.
EVERMAN EARNS WEEKLY HONORS
Senior forward
Scott Everman was named the UCSDtritons.com Athlete of the Week on Jan. 6 after averaging 20.5 points per game in victories over Cal State Monterey Bay and Cal State East Bay. He joined the 1,000-point club vs. Holy Names (11/29), becoming 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)
GOING POLLING
The Tritons are ranked fourth in the
latest National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) poll. In the most recent
D2SIDA Top 25, the Tritons are ranked third. UC San Diego held the top spot in the D2SIDA west region survey from the preseason through the final poll on Feb. 10.
ROBERTS HONORED AS UCSDTRITONS.COM ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
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.
BLOCK PARTY
Senior center
Chris Hansen needs only six more blocked shots to become UC San Diego's all-time blocks leader in Division II.
UC San Diego Career Blocks (Division II)
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.
PRESEASON FAVORITES
UC San Diego was once again 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.
WHAT'S NEXT
UC San Diego will host the semifinals and championship games of the CCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments March 6-7 at RIMAC Arena. All games played at UC San Diego will be broadcast live on ESPN3 with Steve Quis and Ted Mendenhall.
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 are 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).
