LA JOLLA, Calif. – Two Tritons notched double-doubles as host UC San Diego held off a pesky Bethesda squad, 81-76, inside LionTree Arena on Friday night.
J'Raan Brooks scored 16 and pulled down 13 boards – both career highs – in the win, with
Francis Nwaokorie adding 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Bryce Pope scored a game-high 27 for UC San Diego (4-4), which has won three in a row. The Flames fall to 2-11 on the season after the setback.
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a chilly night inside the arena, and both teams began the game cold from the floor. The Flames and Tritons combined to hit 2 of their first 20 shots. UC San Diego began to settle in, and the Tritons went up 16-6 midway through the half thanks to a 9-0 run.
The Tritons built a 33-26 halftime lead.
Francis Nwaokorie led UC San Diego with 9 points and eight rebounds in the first, with
J'Raan Brooks adding seven and six. UC San Diego shot just 26% overall and 14% from beyond the three-point arc. The Flames weren't much better, shooting 31% and 17%.
After halftime, the Tritons and Flames traded buckets, with Bethesda cutting into UC San Diego's lead. The home team was up six when Brooks drove to the basket, getting the bucket and drawing the foul.
Bethesda committed 17 turnovers leading to 20 UC San Diego points. Amar Ross led the Flames with 24 points.
TRITON TIDBITS
- The double-doubles from Brooks and Nwaokorie were the first of the season for UC San Diego, and Brooks' was the first of his career. Nwaokorie now has three.
- Pope was a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line.
- Friday was UC San Diego's first home game since defeating California on Nov. 15.
- Freshman guard Camden McCormick scored his first collegiate points over 10 minutes Friday night.
- UC San Diego improved to 2-0 all-time vs. Bethesda with Friday's victory.
QUOTABLE
UP NEXT
Following a break for final exams, UC San Diego takes on crosstown foe San Diego for the first time as Division I opponent on Monday, Dec. 12 when the Tritons visit the Toreros. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip from USD's Jenny Craig Pavilion with links to live video and live stats on UCSDTritons.com.
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 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 earned 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.
