DAVIS, Calif. – Four Tritons scored in double figures but UC Davis erased a 12-point first half deficit to defeat UC San Diego, 78-71, at University Credit Union Center on Saturday evening.
Francis Nwaokorie posted a double-double with 14 points and a career-high 13 rebounds for UC San Diego (8-7, 2-2 vs. Big West opponents). The Aggies (7-4, 1-0) were led by 23 points from Elijah Pepper.
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the first time against a conference opponent, UC San Diego came out of the gates strong on the offensive end. The Tritons hit six of their first 10 shots (3-of-five from beyond the arc), building a 16-4 lead with 15:11 left in the first half.
Jace Roquemore scored seven quick points for UC San Diego as part of a 14-0 Triton run.
The visitors led for nearly the entire first half, but the Aggies trimmed the lead and took a brief lead on a three-pointer from Pepper, 37-35, with 30 seconds left in the half.
On the next possession,
Bryce Pope knocked down a three and was fouled. His four-point play gave UC San Diego a 39-37 lead at the half.
Roquemore led UC San Diego with 11 first half points on 4-of-5 shooting.
Francis Nwaokorie added nine and matched his career high with eight rebounds.
As a team, the Tritons knocked down 56% of their shots (15-of-27) including 5-of-11 from beyond the three-point line to take their first halftime lead on the road this season.
Each team had 14 first half rebounds.
In the second half, the Tritons hit 7-of-8 shots to maintain their slim lead. UC San Diego led 58-55 with 8:14 to play.
UC Davis regained the lead down the stretch and pulled away at the free throw line. UC Davis was 17-for-20 from the free throw line in the win.
Rocak led the Tritons with 16 points. Killingsworth scored 15 and Roquemore chipped in 14. Nwaokorie's 13 rebounds were the most by a Triton this season.
QUOTABLE
"Any time you lose, it's frustrating, but we got off to a good start and I thought we played good basketball," said UC San Diego head coach
Eric Olen. "That's a good team and they ultimately made a couple of more plays down the stretch to close it out. I was proud of our effort; we fought the whole time. It's never perfect, but there were a lot of encouraging things we can build on. It's hard to win on the road and we've got another big challenge in front of us [Tuesday at UC Irvine]."
TRITON TIDBITS
- Nwaokorie's double-double was his first and the Tritons' third of the season (Toni Rocak, Jake Killingsworth).
- Rocak fouled out with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting.
- For the fourth consecutive game, UC San Diego was facing a foe playing its first Big West opponent. UC Davis had not played since Dec. 22.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego visits UC Irvine Tuesday night in the third game of a four-game Big West road trip. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m., and the contest will be broadcast 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.
