LA JOLLA, Calif. – Seattle U built a 24-point first half lead and was able to hold on in the second half for an 84-71 road win Saturday night at UC San Diego's LionTree Arena. UC San Diego outscored the Redhawks, 43-35, after halftime.
 
Three Tritons finished in double figures, led by 20 from Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones, but UC San Diego (2-2) had its two-game win streak snapped. The victory was the first of the season for Seattle U (1-3). The Redhawks got a game-high 21 from Maleek Arington.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
A sluggish offensive start for the Tritons combined with some sharpshooting early for the Redhawks gave the visitors an 18-9 lead at the midway point of the first half. UC San Diego committed an uncharacteristic four turnovers during this stretch. When Seattle U went up 30-12 at 8:06 on the clock with back-to-back three-pointers, that marked UC San Diego's largest deficit at any point this season.
 
Seattle U extended its lead with a 14-2 spurt, going up 38-14. The Tritons drew a little bit closer with a couple of buckets and free throws late in the half, but the Redhawks led, 49-28, at the break. The visitors shot a scorching 62% over the first 20 minutes – including success on 9-of-14 three-point tries.
 
The tables began to turn after halftime, as UC San Diego began to claw away at the deficit. The Tritons hit eight of their first 12 field goal attempts to draw within single digits, 59-50, with 11:08 left.
 

Burke gets the offense going with a 3 for the Tritons ????

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— UC San Diego Men's Hoops (@UCSDmbb) November 17, 2024

 
UC San Diego drew to within eight on a couple of occasions but could get no closer.
 
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TRITON TIDBITS

• The Tritons outscored the Redhawks in the paint, 36-28.
• With the win, Seattle U improved to 4-0 all-time against UC San Diego.
• Nordin Kapic's 19 points were a season high for the first-year Triton.

 
UP NEXT
UC San Diego heads east to take place in the Boardwalk Battle at Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Fla., where the Tritons will play three games in three days. First up: UC San Diego faces La Salle on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 10 a.m. PST.
 
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 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Divisions I and II.