LA JOLLA, Calif.—UC San Diego women's basketball will play host to UC Irvine for Blue & Gold Night in LionTree Arena before traveling to face Hawai'i over the weekend.
 
The Tritons (7-9, 3-2 Big West) will host the Anteaters (9-6, 3-2 Big West) on Thursday at 7 p.m. and take on the Rainbow Wahine (7-7, 4-1 Big West) on Saturday at 9 p.m. PT in the Stan Sheriff Center. The games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available via UCSDTritons.com.
 
DETAILS
Game 17
UC San Diego (7-9, 3-2) vs UC Irvine (9-6, 3-2)
Thursday, Jan. 18 | 7 p.m.
LionTree Arena (4,000) | La Jolla, Calif.
All-time series: 1-11 (1-5 in D-I)
Last meeting: UCSD 52, UCI 60 (Feb. 23, 2023)
Last UCSD win: UCSD 66, UCI 63 (Feb. 26, 2021)
Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
 
Game 18
UC San Diego at Hawai'i (7-7, 4-1)
Saturday, Jan. 20 | 9 p.m. PT
Stan Sheriff Center (10,300) | Honolulu, Hawai'i
All-time series: 3-1
Last meeting: UCSD 58, UH 61 (Feb. 9, 2023)
Last UCSD win: UCSD 60, UH 57 (Jan. 5, 2023)
Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
 
BLUE & GOLD NIGHT PRESENTED BY UNIVERSITY CREDIT UNION
The Tritons will celebrate Blue & Gold Night presented by University Credit Union on Thursday in LionTree Arena. The first 500 students in attendance will receive a free UC San Diego belt bag before the Tritons tip off with UC Irvine at 7 p.m.
 

ABOUT THE TRITONS	ABOUT UC IRVINE	ABOUT HAWAI'I
Roster | Schedule | Stats	Roster | Schedule | Stats	Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 7-9	Overall: 9-6	Overall: 7-7
Big West: 3-2	Big West: 3-2	Big West: 4-1
Home: 4-4	Home: 4-1	Home: 5-3
Away: 2-4	Away: 4-4	Away: 2-4
Neutral: 1-1	Neutral: 1-1	Neutral: 0-0
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0	vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0	vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
Streak: L1	Streak: L2	Streak: L1

 
UP NEXT
The Tritons will travel to take on UC Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. before hosting UC Davis in LionTree Arena on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. The games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available via UCSDTritons.com.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UC San Diego went 1-1 in a pair of defensive battles for the third week of Big West competition, earning the program's first victory over Long Beach State, 45-30, before falling to Cal Poly at home, 49-39. 
 
UC San Diego 45, Long Beach State 30
Points: Springs (12); Condron, Gallegos (8)
Rebounds: Springs (9); Forsyth, Gallegos (7)
Assists: Forsyth, Montgomery (2)
Steals: Pinto (5); Gallegos (3); Forsyth, Springs (2)
Blocks: Forsyth (2); four Tritons with 1 each
 
UC San Diego 39, Cal Poly 49
Points: Pinto (11); Montgomery (7); Forsyth (6)
Rebounds: Forsyth, Gallegos (6)
Assists: Blithikioti, Forsyth, Svoboda (2)
Steals: Pinto (2); Gallegos, Springs (1)
Blocks: Forsyth (3), Gallegos (2), Condron, Springs (1)
 
AWARDS
UCU Athlete of the Week (Jan. 8): Katie Springs
UCU Athlete of the Week (Jan. 2): Izzy Forsyth
UCU Athlete of the Week (Dec. 26): Sumayah Sugapong
Big West Player of the Week (Dec. 25): Sumayah Sugapong
UCU Athlete of the Week (Dec. 4): Sumayah Sugapong
UCU Athlete of the Week (Nov. 27): Denali Pinto
 
STACKING UP AGAINST THE BIG WEST
The Tritons currently rank third in the Big West in combined team rebounds (36.7 per game), fourth in offensive rebounds (11.2 per game) and in defensive rebounds (25.5 per game) and third in rebounding margin (2.8). 
 
UC San Diego ranks third in defense, allowing 58.3 points per game and fourth in offense, averaging of 61.9 points per game. The Tritons rank fourth in assists (12.69 per game), assist/turnover ratio (0.80), blocked shots (3.69 per game) and in turnover margin (0.44).

• Sumayah Sugapong ranks sixth in scoring (13.8 ppg), sixth in free throw percentage (.778), 10th in field goal percentage (.382) and 18th in three-pointers (1.1 per game).
• Katie Springs ranks first in rebounding (9.5 per game), ninth in blocked shots (0.9 per game) and 14th in steals (1.5 per game).
• Denali Pinto ranks seventh in three-pointers (1.9 per game) and 12th in scoring (11.4 ppg).
• Eri Blithikioti ranks eighth in assists (2.6 per game).
• Izzy Forsyth ranks ninth in blocked shots (0.9 per game) and 20th in scoring (9.6 ppg).
• Parker Montgomery ranks 18th in steals (1.3 per game).

 EXPERIENCED ROSTER
UC San Diego returns seven Tritons from the 2022-23 squad, including starters Izzy Forsyth and Parker Montgomery. Forsyth was an All-Big West honorable mention a season ago, recognized alongside sophomore Junae Mahan (All-Freshman Team). The Tritons will have big shoes to fill after the graduation of Sydney Brown, Emily Cangelosi and Julia Macabuhay who started all games for UC San Diego a season ago. However, the Tritons will have good depth on their bench with a combined 4,040 minutes of Division I experience during the 2022-23 season.
 
FRESH FACES
The Tritons added a wealth of talent during the offseason, signing three incoming true freshmen and four transfer scholar-athletes for the 2023-24 season. La Jolla Country Day product Sumayah Sugapong (San Diego, Calif.) joins two international Tritons, Eri Blithikioti (Athens, Greece) and Erin Condron (Woodend, Victoria, Australia) to make up the freshman class. Gracie Gallegos (Denver, Colo.) will also see her first action as a Triton after redshirting the 2022-23 campaign. 
 
UC San Diego added four transfer students to its roster as well, including junior Meaali'i Amosa (Pepperdine), Rosa Smith (Idaho), Damilola Sule (UC Merced) and Emma Svoboda (Oklahoma).
 
TRITONS PICKED FIFTH IN PRESEASON POLL
UC San Diego was picked to finish tied for fifth in the 2023-24 Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll with 59 points. Hawai'i was picked to finish first with six of the 11 first-place votes (95 points). Defending Big West champion UC Irvine was picked to finish second with two first-place votes (88 points) and UC Davis rounded out the top three with three first-place votes (85 points).
 
UC Santa Barbara (65 points) was picked to finish fourth, followed by Cal State Fullerton (59) and UC San Diego (59) tied for fifth, Long Beach State (45), Cal Poly (42), Cal State Bakersfield (25), UC Riverside (24) and CSUN (18).
 
WINNING IN THE CLASSROOM
The Tritons excelled in the classroom in 2022-23 with three scholar-athletes earning College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors, including Izzy Forsyth. UC San Diego had six scholar-athletes named to the 2022-23 Big West Winter All-Academic Team, including Forsyth and Katie Springs. Additionally, 11 Tritons were named to the Big West Commissioner's Honor Roll with seven earning Highest Honors (3.51-4.00 GPA) including Forsyth, Springs, Gracie Gallegos, Gabby Louther and Denali Pinto. 
 
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.
 
ON THE MOVE
After 20 seasons playing as an NCAA Division II team, the entire athletics program has begun a four-year transition to NCAA Division I, culminating in full DI status as a member of the Big West Conference for the 2024-25 academic year. At that time, all sports will be eligible for conference and NCAA postseason play.
 
WELCOME TO LIONTREE ARENA
Since it was established nearly three decades ago, the University of California San Diego's RIMAC (Recreation, Intramural and Athletic Complex) Arena has been home to countless athletic competitions, graduations, concerts and other events that are imprinted on the memories of thousands of UC San Diego alumni, students, friends and visitors.
 
In June of 2022, UC San Diego announced that RIMAC Arena 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.

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 women's basketball, visit UCSDTritons.com/live.

GAME DAY GOES DIGITAL
Triton fans now have a whole new way to access game day information, as game programs have gone digital! Fans can visit UCSDTritons.com 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 Communication 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.
 
GET SOCIAL WITH UC SAN DIEGO WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Keep up with the Tritons all season long on social media through Twitter and Instagram. The team's handle is @UCSDwbb.
 
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 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 84 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.