LA JOLLA, Calif.–UC San Diego San Diego women's basketball defeated CSUN, 62-55, on Thursday evening in LionTree Arena. It was the first program victory for the Tritons (9-10, 6-3 Big West) over the Matadors (4-16, 3-7 Big West) to improve to 1-2 in the all-time series.
 
Sydney Brown matched her career high with 31 points and collected a game-high eight rebounds to lead the Tritons. Emily Cangelosi also finished in double-figures with 15 points and Izzy Forsyth collected seven boards. Julia Macabuhay led the team with three assists, while Parker Montgomery collected three steals and Forsyth added two.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tritons got off to a hot start, going 5-for-5 from three-point range to open the contest and jumped out to a 17-8 lead. The Matadors put together a 6-2 run to close out the period but UC San Diego took a 19-14 lead into the first quarter break.
 
It was a different story offensively for the Tritons in the second quarter, going 0-for-7 from the field. CSUN put together an eight-point run to take the lead, 22-21, with 6:35 to play in the half. Macabuhay ended the drought with back-to-back threes and the teams traded a one-point lead to close out the half, 30-29, with CSUN on top.
 
The teams stayed knotted to open the second half. With the game tied, 34-all, the Matadors put together a 7-0 scoring run to pull ahead 41-34 with 3:29 remaining in the period. The Tritons answered with a run of their own, outscoring CSUN 6-2 down the stretch to make it a one-score game, 40-43, heading into the final quarter.
 
Brown knocked down an early three to begin the final quarter and set the tone for the Tritons. UC San Diego outscored the Matadors 22-12 in the period, including 14 points from Brown to ice the game and secure the program's first victory over CSUN.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Sydney Brown matched her career high with 31 points (vs. Cal Poly; Jan. 2, 2021).
  • It was Lung Cancer Awareness Night in LionTree Arena—a night that was dedicated to Brown's mother, Kristin, who passed away from the disease in 2021.
• The Tritons held CSUN 0-for-8 from three-point range, the first game the Matadors were without a three since 2012. 
• UC San Diego shot 32.7% from the field and 10-of-30 from three-point range, hitting 16-of-19 (84.2%) at the free-throw line. 
• The Matadors shot 41% from the field, 0-of-8 from three-point range, and finished 5-of-5 at the free-throw line. 
• UC San Diego starters were Sydney Brown, Emily Cangelosi, Izzy Forsyth, Julia Macabuhay and Parker Montgomery. 

UP NEXT
On Saturday, UC San Diego will take on UC Riverside for National Girls & Women in Sports Day at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available via 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 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 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.