LA JOLLA, Calif. – Down 20 points at halftime, UC San Diego drew to within five but visiting Long Beach State pulled away late for an 87-69 win over the Tritons at RIMAC Arena on Thursday night. The loss was UC San Diego's fourth straight overall and first of the season at home.
 
Toni Rocak scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Francis Nwaokorie added 13 for the Tritons (8-9, 2-4 vs. Big West opponents).
 
With its third consecutive win, the Beach improved to 7-9.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego got a quick bucket from Jake Killingsworth to start the game, but Long Beach State scored seven straight less than two minutes in. After a Triton score, a 9-0 run for the visitors gave The Beach a 16-4 lead with 14:25 left first. Long Beach State hit 8 of its first 13 field goal tries, while UC San Diego was just 3-of-11 during that span.
 
The Tritons responded, and UC San Diego scored five straight and cut the deficit to single digits on a Jake Kosakowski three-pointer.
 

Koz for 3?? and we're on a 5-0 run!

ESPN+ https://t.co/IDUNlfaZSK#GoTritons pic.twitter.com/wQDYlypViX

— UC San Diego Men's Hoops (@UCSDmbb) January 21, 2022

 
Long Beach State shot 50% in the first half (16-of-32) on the way to a 41-21 advantage at the break. The Beach scored 16 points in transition while limiting the Tritons to just 30% shooting (9-for-30).
 
The Tritons came out strong in the second half and cut into The Beach's lead. Nwaokorie had a big put-back drawing the foul to draw UC San Diego closer.
 

Francis with the put-back and-one!https://t.co/IDUNlfaZSK#GoTritons pic.twitter.com/ubkL54vhzb

— UC San Diego Men's Hoops (@UCSDmbb) January 21, 2022

 
UC San Diego cut the deficit to six, 53-47, on a three-pointer from Bryce Pope with 12:52 left. The teams played evenly from there, and the Tritons got to within five, 65-60, with 6:27 to play before running out of gas.
 
The Tritons shot 52% after halftime and committed five turnovers after the break. In addition to Rocak and Nwaokorie's offensive effort, Kosakowski added 12 and Pope scored 10.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• UC San Diego's nine-game home winning streak dating back to last season was snapped.
• Long Beach State's 87 points were the most scored by a Triton opponent this season.
• Thursday's game was the first-ever meeting between the programs.
• The game was played with two officials.

 
UP NEXT                                                       
UC San Diego's stay at home was a brief one. The Tritons are back on the road Saturday evening when they visit Cal State Fullerton in a matchup of Big West teams. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. from Fullerton and the contest will air live on ESPN+.
 
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.