LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego men's basketball begins its third season of Big West play this week when the Tritons hit the road to face Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara. Last time out, UC San Diego concluded non-conference play with a strong defensive effort at San Diego State.
 
The Tritons and Beach square off Thursday at 7. UC San Diego will be looking for its first win against Long Beach after dropping both meetings last season. On Saturday, UC San Diego wraps up 2022 at UC Santa Barbara (4 p.m.). The two UC schools split last season's meetings, with each squad winning on its home floor.

Both games this week can be seen on ESPN+ with Thursday night's game also airing on KSDT Radio.
 
DETAILS
Game 13
UC San Diego (5-7, 0-0 Big West) at Long Beach State (6-6, 0-0 Big West)
Thursday, December 29
7 p.m.
Walter Pyramid (4,200) | Long Beach, Calif.
TV: ESPN+
Radio: KSDT
Watch | Listen | Live Stats
Series Record: Long Beach State leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: at Long Beach State 103, UC San Diego 87 (Feb. 24)

Game 14
UC San Diego (5-7, 0-0 Big West) at UC Santa Barbara (9-2, 0-0 Big West)
Saturday, December 31
4 p.m.
UCSB Events Center (5,600) | Santa Barbara, Calif.
TV: ESPN+
Watch | Live Stats
Series Record: UC Santa Barbara leads, 3-1
Last Meeting: at UC Santa Barbara 184, UC San Diego 48 (Feb. 5)

ABOUT THE TRITONS
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 5-7
Big West: 0-0
Home: 3-2
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 0-1
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
Streak: L1

TRITONS, STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

Stat	UCSD	Opp.
Points	65.5	69.8
Field Goal Pct.	.408	.428
3-Point FG Pct.	.295	.373
Free Throw Pct.	.707	.719
Rebounds	36.5	35.9
Assists	11.8	13.8
Turnovers	12.6	11.2
Steals	6.6	6.4
Blocks	2.0	3.2

ABOUT THE BEACH
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 6-6
Big West: 0-0
Home: 3-1
Away: 1-4
Neutral: 2-1
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
Streak: W2

ABOUT THE GAUCHOS
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 9-2
Big West: 0-0
Home: 5-0
Away: 2-2
Neutral: 0-0
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
Streak: W5

LAST TIME OUT
UC San Diego battled San Diego State in a defensive struggle before falling to the Aztecs by a 62-46 score at Viejas Arena Dec. 20 in front of a sellout crowd of 12,414. Bryce Pope scored a game-high 20 points for the Tritons, who conclude non-conference play with a 5-7 record. The Aztecs improved to 9-3 with the win in their final non-conference contest.
 
San Diego State's 62 points scored matched a season low by a UC San Diego Division I opponent and was just two points higher than the Aztecs' own season low of 60.
 
The Tritons outscored the home team, 30-27, in the second half.
 
LAST TIME VS. LONG BEACH STATE | FEB. 24, 2022
UC San Diego redshirt sophomore Jake Kosakowski scored a career-high 26 points and knocked down a personal best eight three-point field goals but host Long Beach State stayed in first place in the Big West with a 103-87 win over the Tritons on Feb. 24 at Walter Pyramid. The Tritons drilled a season-high 17 three-pointers but Long Beach State connected on 58% of its three point tries in the win.
 
The setback was the third straight for the Tritons, who fell to 11-15 overall and 5-10 vs. Big West opponents. With the win, Long Beach State improved to 16-10 overall and 12-2 vs. other Big West teams. The Beach swept the season series from UC San Diego.
 
LAST TIME VS. UC SANTA BARBARA | FEB. 5, 2022
UC San Diego had a tough shooting afternoon and defending Big West champ UC Santa Barbara seemingly couldn't miss as the Gauchos downed the Tritons, 84-48, inside The Thunderdome on Feb. 5.
 
The Tritons had their two-game win streak snapped with the setback, falling to 10-12 overall and 4-7 vs. Big West opponents. UC Santa Barbara is now 9-9 overall and 2-5 against Big West foes with the win.
 
The two teams split the season series after the Tritons won in OT on Dec. 30 in La Jolla.
 
THIRD TIME'S A CHARM?
UC San Diego begins its third season in The Big West this week and the Tritons will be looking to complete a full 20-game conference slate for the first time after COVID-related cancelations in each of the last two seasons.
 
Now in year three of its four-year NCAA reclassification to Division I, UC San Diego will be included in The Big West standings for the first time. The conference elected to exclude the Tritons from the standings and conference statistics in each of the last two seasons.
 
WE'LL TAKE THAT!
UC San Diego came away with a season-high 12 steals at San Diego State (Dec. 20). Redshirt juniors Bryce Pope and Jace Roquemore each notched a career-high five thefts against the Aztecs.
 
POPE NAMED UCU ATHLETE OF THE WEEK TWICE (NOV. 28, DEC. 26)
Redshirt junior guard Bryce Pope has twice been named UCU Athlete of the Week, garnering recognition Nov. 28 after leading the Tritons to wins at George Washington and Eastern Michigan. Pope earned the honor for a second time on Dec. 26 after scoring a game-high 20 and coming away with five steals at San Diego State.
 
NWAOKORIE IS UCU ATHLETE OF THE WEEK (DEC. 19)
UC San Diego sophomore Francis Nwaokorie was named University Credit Union Athlete of the Week on Dec. 19. He averaged 13.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per contest over three games, shooting 55.6% overall and 40% from beyond the arc. Nwaokorie established a new season-high in points scored in four consecutive games, including a 16-point, nine rebound effort over 22 minutes in the win over Occidental (Dec. 17).
 
BRYCE IS A STAR!
UC San Diego redshirt junior guard Bryce Pope was recognized by the San Diego Sports Association as a Star of the Month for November. Pope averaged 19.3 points per game over seven November games. Pope drained 18 three-pointers in the month and shot 79.2% (19-24) at the free throw line while posting a 2.00 assist-to-turnover ratio. In the Tritons' win at George Washington, Pope connected on 11-of-16 field goal tries, scoring a career-high 31 points. It was the second-ever 30-plus point effort by a Triton in UC San Diego's Division I era.
 
POPE POURS 'EM IN
Bryce Pope's 31-point game in the win at George Washington (Nov. 22) was second-most in a single game scored by a Triton during the program's Division I era. He currently ranks third in The Big West in scoring with 18.8 points per game.
 
UC San Diego 30-Point Games, Division I

Name	Date	Opponent	Points	Game Score
Toni Rocak	Dec. 30, 2021	vs. UC Santa Barbara	34	W, 85-83 (OT)
Bryce Pope	Nov. 22, 2022	at George Washington	31	W, 75-70

 
BROOKS COMES UP BIG
Senior forward J'Raan Brooks scored 16 points and corralled 13 rebounds – both career highs – in UC San Diego's win over Bethesda (Dec. 2). His seven field goals and two steals that night were also new personal bests. He was named UCU Athlete of the Week on Dec. 5.
 
TSHIMANGA POSTS UP
Junior transfer Emmanuel Tshimanga pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds, blocked a pair of shots, and scored six points over 21 minutes in the Tritons' win at Eastern Michigan (Nov. 27).
 
POPE PUTS IT AWAY
In UC San Diego's victory over Cal (Nov. 15), Bryce Pope hit a contested three-pointer with just 10.9 seconds to play, lifting the Tritons to a 64-62 win. This wasn't the first Time the shooting guard came up big late in a game. Last season at CSU Bakersfield, Pope hit the game winning jumper in the paint with 1.4 seconds on the clock (March 3).
 
TIME TRAVEL
The Nov. 18 game at Navy marked UC San Diego's first in the Eastern time zone since the then-Division II Tritons played an exhibition game at Pittsburgh in October 2013. That game marked Eric Olen's first as Tritons' head coach. This year's schedule features games in five states plus Washington, D.C.
 
PRODUCTION OFF THE BENCH
In UC San Diego's season opener vs. Seattle U (Nov. 7), the Tritons received a combined 25 points off the bench from a pair of newcomers: freshman point guard Roddie Anderson III scored 10 while adding six rebounds and five assists in his first collegiate game. Playing his first game as a Triton, junior center Emmanuel Tshimanga added 15 points and a pair of blocked shots over 15 minutes.
 
KOS AND EFFECT
Junior forward Jake Kosakowski led the nation in three-point field goal percentage last season, connecting on 47.3% of his attempts from beyond the arc. His 70 made threes led The Big West. He knocked down a career-best eight at Long Beach State (Feb. 24).
 
MAKING THEIR MARK FROM DISTANCE
UC San Diego led The Big West in three-point field goals (265) and three-point field goal percentage (.370) last season.
 
A BIG WELCOME TO NWAOKORIE
Sophomore forward Francis Nwaokorie was a finalist for the Kyle Macy Award in 2022, given to the nation's top Division I freshman. In his first season at UC San Diego, Nwaokorie made quite an impact. He started 24 games, averaging 11.8 points and 5.8 boards per contest. In a win over then-first place Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 26, he scored a career-high 23 points while grabbing nine rebounds.

Nwaokorie was named to the Zootown Classic All-Tournament Team and at season's end, he was named the top freshman in the Big West by the web site hoopshd.com.
 
HEAD COACH ERIC OLEN
In his tenth season as head coach, Eric Olen has transformed the program. In the team's second Division I season, the Tritons strung together 13 victories, including a season-opening win at Cal – UC San Diego's first triumph over a Pac-12 opponent.

In Division II, Olen led the Tritons to three California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) regular season titles, four consecutive CCAA tournament crowns over seven seasons. In Division II, he posted a .740 winning percentage, and he was named NABC West Region Coach of the Year for the first time in 2019-20 after leading the Tritons to a 30-1 record and the top seed in the NCAA West Region.
 
Olen's career coaching record stands at 184-89 (.674) and he needs just one more victory to tie Tom Marshall as the program's all-time wins leader.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
UC San Diego starts 2023 at home when the Tritons host Hawai'i in a Big West contest on Jan. 5. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. from LionTree Arena with Steve Quis and Martin Bahar calling the action on ESPN+. Live stats will be available on UCSDTritons.com.
 
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
Returners
J'Raan Brooks, Sr., F
Fallou Cisse, R-Fr., F
Justin DeGraaf, So., F
Jake Kosakowski, Jr., F
Francis Nwaokorie, So., F
Michael Pearson Jr., So., G
Bryce Pope, Jr., G
Jace Roquemore, Jr., G
Vuk Vulikic, Jr., G
 
Newcomers
Roddie Anderson III, Fr., G
Camden McCormick, Fr., G
Quin Patterson, Fr., G/F
Cade Pendleton, Fr., F
Emmanuel Tshimanga, Jr., C (UC Irvine)
 
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
This year's Tritons squad boasts scholar-athletes from three foreign countries:
 
Fallou Cisse, Senegal
Emmanuel Tshimanga, Canada
Vuk Vulikic, Serbia
 
SEVEN NAMED TO NABC HONORS COURT FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Seven UC San Diego men's basketball scholar-athletes were named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court for excelling in the classroom. J'Raan Brooks, Matt Gray, Jake Killingsworth, Jake Kosakowski, Justin Pratt, Jace Roquemore and Lunden Taylor represent the Tritons on this year's Honors Court. UC San Diego is also a recipient of the 2021-22 NABC Team Academic Excellence Award.
 
The NABC Team Academic Excellence Awards recognize men's basketball programs that completed the 2021-22 academic year with a team GPA of 3.0 or higher. The NABC Honors Court, meanwhile, includes junior, senior and graduate student men's basketball players who finished the 2021-22 year with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher.
 
OUR HOME HAS A NEW NAME!
UC San Diego's basketball home has been named LionTree Arena in recognition of a $5 million gift for scholar-athletes from LionTree, an independent investment and merchant bank with expertise in technology, media and the digital economy. LionTree was founded by UC San Diego alumnus Aryeh B. Bourkoff, who also serves as the firm's CEO. LionTree's gift is the largest ever received by UC San Diego Athletics, establishing the LionTree Endowed Scholarship Fund to support scholar-athletes. The gift total contributed to the Campaign for UC San Diego, which concluded on June 30, 2022. Bourkoff also served as co-chair of the Campaign for UC San Diego Cabinet.
 
DIVISION I FIRSTS

First Season	2020-21
First Game	Dec. 22, 2020 vs. Saint Katherine
First Win over Division I Opponent	Jan. 22, 2021 vs. UC Davis
First Basket vs. D1 Opponent	Jace Roquemore (1/8/21) vs. UC Irvine
First Division I Road Win	Nov. 9, 2021 at Cal
First Big West Road Win	Feb. 3, 2022 at CSUN

 
WHY THE TRITONS?
The Triton is described as the offspring of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a demigod of the sea with a lower part of the body like that of a fish. It is known as a mighty and fierce sea warrior. Given UC San Diego's close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its connections with the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Triton became our mascot in 1964.
 
TRITON BOX OFFICE
Single game tickets to UC San Diego basketball home games are now on-sale. For more information or to purchase, click here. Currently enrolled UC San Diego students are provided free admission by showing a valid campus ID at the arena entrance.

GAME DAY HAS A NEW LOOK
Triton fans now have a whole new way to access game day information, as game programs have gone digital! Fans can visit UCSDTritons.com/MBBgameday from their smart phone or scan the QR code at the entrance to LionTree Arena for everything they need to know about each home game, including updated rosters, schedules, and stats for each team, as well as links to watch on ESPN+.

COVERING THE TRITONS
Media members wishing to cover a UC San Diego game in-person at LionTree Arena must notify a member of the Athletics Communications staff no later than 24 hours prior to the game.

Following the conclusion of each home game, a video highlight melt and video postgame interviews will be made available for media members to download.
 
ON THE MOVE
After 20 seasons playing as an NCAA Division II team, the entire athletics program is in its third year of a four-year transition to NCAA Division I, culminating in full DI status as a member of The Big West for the 2024-25 academic year. At that time, all sports will be eligible for conference and NCAA postseason play.
 
UC SAN DIEGO ON THE WORLDWIDE LEADER
Most UC San Diego home men's and women's basketball games, men's and women's soccer matches, men's and women's volleyball matches, baseball and softball games are broadcast live on ESPN+. For more information on where to watch UC San Diego basketball, visit UCSDTritons.com/live.
 
HOOPS TALK ON UC SAN DIEGO ATHLETICS' PODCAST
As part of UC San Diego's transition to Division I, the Athletics Department launched a weekly podcast, Tritoncast. Produced by UC San Diego Athletics Communications, Tritoncast features in-depth interviews with UC San Diego personalities including scholar-athletes, alums, coaches, and administrators. Triton fans will get an inside look at the UC San Diego Athletics Department as the program transitions to NCAA Division I and The Big West. New episodes of Tritoncast are available each week on the most popular podcasting apps. In addition, each episode can be heard and downloaded on UCSDTritons.com. For individual show information and listen links, follow Tritoncast on Twitter @Tritoncast.
 
MEN'S BASKETBALL ON TRITONCAST

Episode	Published	Guest(s)	Listen Link
08	8/19/20	Adam Klie '17, program's D2 leading scorer	Listen
13	9/23/20	John Saintignon, impact of John Wooden	Listen
23	12/02/20	Jordan Lawley '10, NBA training center	Listen
30	1/20/21	Gabe Hadley '21, pro in Australia	Listen
67	11/02/22	Head Coach Eric Olen, season preview	Listen

 
GET SOCIAL WITH UC SAN DIEGO HOOPS
Keep up with the Tritons all season long on social media through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The team's handle is @ucsdmbb.
 
FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!

GEAR
For the latest Triton apparel and accessories, click here.
 
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 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 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.