LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego's
Toni Rocak scored 10 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench as the Tritons rolled to a 93-52 victory over visiting Caltech at RIMAC Arena on Saturday afternoon. Rocak was one of three in double figures for UC San Diego (6-4), which registered 21 assists with just nine turnovers in the win.
For Division III Caltech (7-3), the game is marked as an exhibition.
HOW IT HAPPENED
With the contest tied at 5-5, the Tritons reeled off an 18-2 run to build a 23-7 lead with 10:47 left in the first half.
Toni Rocak scored four points and grabbed five quick rebounds off the bench during the spurt.
Bryce Pope helped UC San Diego's run with a pair of early steals.
The Tritons continued to add to their lead thanks in part to a transition dunk by
Francis Nwaokorie off a feed from
Vuk Vulikic.
Another 16-0 run from the Tritons made the score 34-7 in favor of the home team. The Tritons knocked down 7-of-8 field goals during the spurt.
UC San Diego led 53-25 at the half, shooting 53% over the first 20 minutes – including 8-of-16 from beyond the arc. Nwaokorie led the Tritons on the scoreboard, with 10 in the first half. Vulikic chipped in a career-high nine. Pope, Rocak, and
Jake Kosakowski scored six each. Rocak had a game-high seven first half rebounds.
In the second half, the Tritons continued to add to their lead. UC San Diego's 14-2 run gave the Tritons a commanding 67-31 lead halfway through the period.
Lunden Taylor scored a career high 11 points and dished out three assists in 12 minutes off the bench. Nwaokorie finished with 12 on 5-of-6 shooting.
Michael Pearson Jr. chipped in eight points with four assists, three steals and no turnovers over 27 minutes.
QUOTABLE with Coach Eric Olen and guard Lunden Taylor
TRITON TIDBITS
- Rocak's double-double was UC San Diego's first of the season.
- The Tritons' 53-25 halftime advantage was their largest of the season.
- UC San Diego scored 58 points off the bench.
- All 13 active Tritons saw playing time on Saturday and all scored points in the win.
- UC San Diego now leads the all-time series between the two schools, 7-0. Prior to Saturday, the last meeting was an 89-53 Tritons win at Caltech in January 1980.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego wraps up non-conference play on Wednesday when the Tritons visit San Diego State. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. from Viejas Arena and the contest will air on Stadium.
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 38 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 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.
