LA JOLLA, Calif. – Six Tritons scored in double figures – and five established new career scoring highs – as UC San Diego rolled to a 109-33 victory over visiting La Verne Saturday afternoon inside LionTree Arena. The victory was the fourth straight for the Tritons (6-2), whose 76-point margin of victory was its largest since moving to NCAA Division I.
UC San Diego newcomer
Justin Rochelin hit 6-of-10 field goal tries, sophomore
Aidan Burke (12 points) knocked down four-of-five three-point attempts, and freshman
Ryder Elisaldez scored 10 and dished out four assists in the win.
Cade Pendleton scored 10 and grabbed four rebounds for the Tritons, and
Tyler McGhie (13) and
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones (10 points, six rebounds) netted double digit points in the win. Redshirt freshman
Jasen Brooks had a standout afternoon, scoring seven points, grabbing seven rebounds, and doling out six assists with no turnovers.
Cody Aquino scored eight points to lead the Leopards (1-4).
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego got off to a roaring start, running out to an 18-0 lead just five and a half minutes into the contest. The Tritons showed their defensive intensity out of the gate, scoring six quick field goals on Leopard turnovers. The Tritons extended their lead to 29-4 on a dunk from Rochelin. A layup from Brooks and a pair of free throws from Tait-Jones gave the Tritons a 50-8 lead at halftime.
McGhie (11) and Tait-Jones (10) each singlehandedly outscored La Verne in the first half. The Tritons shot 50% (19-38) while limiting the Leopards to just 3-of-24 shooting (13%). UC San Diego came away with 11 steals, forcing 16 first half turnovers.
Just like in the first half, UC San Diego came out focused to start the second. The Tritons scored the first nine points of the period to go up by 51. UC San Diego's starting five all played a season-low minutes and the other seven who saw action all contributed in a meaningful way. With 90 seconds to go, Brooks came up with a steal and finished on the other end, extending UC San Diego's lead to 76 points – 106 to 30.
First year Triton
Maximo Milovich played 12 minutes after halftime, finishing with seven points, seven rebounds and two assists. All 10 of Pendleton's points came after halftime.
QUOTABLE
TRITON TIDBITS
- The game is marked as an exhibition for the Leopards, who compete in NCAA Division III.
- The 33 points allowed by the Tritons are the fewest they've surrendered in a game since moving to NCAA Division I in 2020-21.
- UC San Diego forced a season-high 26 turnovers.
- The Tritons had a massive advantage in points scored in the paint: 48 to 6. UC San Diego scored 35 points on fast breaks.
- Triton point guard Hayden Gray finished with nine points, four steals and a pair of assists with no turnovers. Gray leads NCAA Division I with 31 steals on the season.
- Redshirt freshman Yaqub Mir scored his first career points, finishing with six, two assists, a pair of steals, and no turnovers.
- Saturday marked the second straight game this season in which UC San Diego outrebounded its opponent.
- La Verne now leads the all-time series between these two programs, 20-10. UC San Diego has captured both meetings since moving to Division I.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego begins Big West play on Thursday, Dec. 5 as part of the conference's new
Bold Week initiative. The Tritons visit UC Santa Barbara for a 7 p.m. tip 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 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.
