RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The UC San Diego women's basketball team topped UC Riverside, 74-67, at SRC Arena this evening, capturing victories in both games of the two-game series. The victory was career win number 300 for Head Coach
Heidi VanDerveer. VanDerveer holds a mark of 167-57 during her time at UC San Diego. Previously, she served as a head coach at Eastern Washington (1994-97) and Occidental (2008-12).
With tonight's win, the Tritons improve to 4-7 both overall and in Big West Conference action, while the Highlanders fall to 7-9 on the season and 5-7 in league play.
The teams battled for the lead throughout most of the first quarter. The Highlanders held a slim 16-15 advantage heading into the final three minutes, but the Tritons went on an 8-2 run to finish the quarter and secure a 23-18 lead heading into the second period. As a team, UC San Diego shot 9-16 in the opening 10 minutes.
It was another strong effort from the Tritons in the second quarter, putting up 20 points on 8-13 shooting. UC San Diego knocked down all three of its attempts from behind the arc during the period en route to a 43-34 advantage at halftime.
However, the Tritons' offensive efforts slowed in the third quarter. UC Riverside outscored UC San Diego 16-11 in the period to cut the Tritons' lead to four points. The Tritons led by a score of 54-50 entering the final 10 minutes.
It was a tight game early in the fourth quarter, as a Highlander jumper at 9:48 made it a one-basket game (54-52).
Julia Macabuhay then answered with six points on a shot from beyond the arc and three free throws. Macabuhay was the late spark for the Tritons, as she ultimately put up 11 of the Tritons' 20 fourth-quarter points. The Highlanders scored 17 points in the period, but it was not enough as the Tritons captured the 74-67 victory.
QUOTABLE
Heidi VanDerveer,
Emily Cangelosi, and
Julia Macabuhay spoke after the victory.
TRITON TIDBITS
- For the second-straight night, Sydney Brown secured a double-double. She finished the evening with a team-high 17 points and a game-best 16 boards. Her 16 rebounds were a new career best.
- Emily Cangelosi set a new career high with 15 points in the contest.
- Layla Ybarra-Harvey set a new career best with eight points.
- Julia Macabuhay's 16 points were a season best.
- Aishah Brown made her first collegiate start in the contest, while Julia Macabuhay made her first start of the season.
UP NEXT
Next, the Tritons will return to La Jolla for their final home series of the 2020-21 season. The series will start off with Blue & Gold Night against UC Irvine at 5 p.m. on Feb. 26.
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 began a new era in 2020 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 III and II and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America accolades, while 37 have received 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.
