LA JOLLA, Calif. – Three Tritons scored in double figures but UC San Diego struggled shooting the ball from long range as visiting Hawai'i picked up a 65-53 victory on Thursday night at RIMAC Arena.
The setback was the second straight for the Tritons, who fell to 11-14 overall and 5-9 vs. Big West opponents. With the win, Hawai'i completed the season sweep over UC San Diego, improving to 13-8 overall and 9-3 against Big West foes.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego struggled to shoot early, knocking down just one of its first 11 shot attempts as Hawai'i took a 15-6 lead nine minutes into the contest.
The Tritons busted out of their drought with a 7-0 spurt, keyed by a bucket from
Francis Nwaokorie and a three-pointer from
Jake Killingsworth.
The Tritons rebounded from their tough shooting start but connected on only 26% of their first half shot attempts (6-of-23), trailing 30-20 at the half. The home team held its own on the glass, with the Rainbow Warriors holding a slim 20-19 rebounding advantage.
UH's Noel Coleman led all scorers with eight first half points.
Toni Rocak and Nwaokorie scored five each to lead UC San Diego.
Hawai'i started the second half with six straight, building its largest lead of the night – 36-20 with 17:45 left. The Tritons responded with an 8-0 run of their own, cutting the deficit to eight.
The Tritons continued to struggle from beyond the arc as the Rainbow Warriors earned the road win. Overall, UC San Diego hit 35% of its shots and the Tritons were just 6-of-24 from deep.
Bryce Pope finished with 15 points to lead the Tritons. Rocak scored 11 and grabbed seven boards and Nwaokorie scored 10 and pulled down five rebounds.
QUOTABLE
WATCH: Interview with Coach Eric Olen
TRITON TIDBITS
- UC San Diego committed just two turnovers after halftime.
- Thursday's game was the Tritons' third in the last six days.
- UC San Diego's 20-point first half output matches a season low (Dec. 15 at Denver).
- The Tritons are 8-4 at RIMAC Arena.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego returns to action in one week as the Tritons visit first place Long Beach State on Thursday, Feb. 24. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Walter Pyramid and the action will be televised 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.
