LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego senior
Mikey Howell doled out a career-high 14 assists and four Tritons scored in double figures as UC San Diego downed Cal State Fullerton, 89-85, Friday evening in RIMAC Arena.
The Tritons improved to 6-10 overall (3-8 vs. Big West schedule) while Cal State Fullerton fell to 6-8.
The game got off to a fast start, with UC San Diego building a quick 19-9 lead at the 15:16 mark of the first half. The Tritons had early success from the three-point line, knocking down five right out of the gates.
Cal State Fullerton answered, using a 13-2 run to forge ahead, 22-21, with 8:48 left in the half. Overall, there were three ties and five lead changes in the first half, but a jumper from the Titans Tray Maddox Jr. with 13 seconds left gave Fullerton a 43-41 halftime lead.
Jake Killingsworth led all scorers with 12 first half points after he knocked down 4-of-6 from long range, and he matched his season high in rebounds with seven.
Hugh Baxter and
Toni Rocak scored seven apiece, and
Mikey Howell added seven assists.
The Tritons shot 48% over the first 20 minutes, draining 8 three-pointers. The Titans shot an even 50% (16-32), and Cal State Fullerton held a 20-15 rebounding advantage. Each team committed four turnovers.
In the second half, the Tritons built an eight-point advantage at the 11:31 mark, 61-53, thanks in part to a tremendous dunk from
Jace Roquemore.
The Tritons never trailed the rest of the way.
Killingsworth finished with a career-high 19 points and season high nine rebounds. He was 6-of-10 from beyond the arc in the win. Howell's line included 14 assists, four steals and just two turnovers.
Gabe Hadley led the Tritons with 21 points, and Baxter added 19.
UC San Diego shot 52% for the game and 49% from beyond the arc.
TRITON TIDBITS
- UC San Diego came into the game leading the Big West and ranking fourth nationally in three-pointers with 10.8 per contest. The Tritons hit 16 on Friday.
- Jace Roquemore made his second start of the season on Friday.
- UC San Diego won for the second time this season when trailing at the half.
- Friday's 89-point effort equaled the most points the Tritons have scored in a Big West game (vs. UC Davis, Jan. 22).
- Friday was the third time this season the Tritons shot better than 50% from the floor.
UP NEXT
The Tritons wrap up their debut Division I season on Saturday when they host Cal State Fullerton at RIMAC Arena. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. PT and the game will air live on ESPN3.
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.
Return To Sport…Safely
In order for UC San Diego scholar-athletes to be permitted to return to training and competition safely and within federal, state, local, and university guidelines, the athletic department implemented a number of measures designed to complement and enhance the university's highly-successful Return To Learn program. Notable actions include being physically distanced when practical, including during out-of-season training sessions; wearing masks, except when undergoing physically strenuous exercise; and maintaining proper hygiene. Athletes, coaches, and staff are testing at a higher frequency than the campus population, teams adhere to CDC, NCAA, and Big West Conference guidelines, and department officials participate in regular meetings with conference and university-affiliated physicians and the UC San Diego emergency operations staff.
