LA JOLLA, Calif.—UC San Diego women's basketball earned its first Big West victory, 55-40, over Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday afternoon in the Icardo Center. The Tritons (2-8, 1-1 Big West) outscored the Roadrunners (0-8, 0-2 Big West) 15-3 in the third quarter to help secure the victory.
 
Gracie Gallegos had her best game of the season to date with a career-high 20 points and team-best nine rebounds, finishing 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. Parker Montgomery also recorded double-figure points with 10 points and five rebounds, while Sumayah Sugapong added nine points and a team-high four assists and three steals. Kayanna Spriggs also collected eight rebounds, including three offensive boards in the contest.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Bakersfield took the early 7-5 lead in the opening minutes of the contest, but the Tritons answered with a 9-0 scoring run to double up the Roadrunners, 14-7. CSUB hit a three and a layup in the final minute to cut the lead to two at the first quarter break, 14-12.
 
It remained a one-possession game through the first four minutes of the second period before a three by Nicki Polocheck gave the Tritons a bit of breathing room, 20-16. The teams traded baskets down the stretch before UC San Diego closed out the final minute of play with a six-point swing to lead 30-23 at the halftime intermission.
 
Gallegos scored 14 of her 20 points in the first half, shooting 5-for-9 from the field and 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. Additionally, the redshirt sophomore collected a team-best seven rebounds to give the Tritons the advantage.
 
UC San Diego's defense was light's out in the third quarter of play, holding Cal State Bakersfield to just three points and 0-of-8 from the field. The Tritons started the second half with back-to-back threes from Sugapong and Gallegos and a layup by Spriggs to lead, 38-23. The Tritons extended their advantage with a seven-point run by Montgomery and went into the final quarter break leading, 45-26.
 
Bakersfield hit three shots from beyond the arc to start the final period with a 9-1 run and cut the lead to 46-35. Another layup by Gallegos and a three from Montgomery stalled the Roadrunner's momentum and the Tritons held strong down the stretch to close out the contest, 55-40.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Gracie Gallegos recorded a career-best 20 points and finished one rebound shy of her second career double-double.
• It was the second double-figure scoring effort for both Gracie Gallegos and Parker Montgomery this season. 
• UC San Diego held the advantage in points off turnovers (19-9), points in the paint (28-10), bench points (20-11) and forced turnovers (22-12).
• Cal State Bakersfield had the edge in rebounds (44-40) and second chance points (10-8).
• UC San Diego starters were Sumayah Sugapong, Sabrina Ma, Gracie Gallegos, Kayanna Spriggs and Junae Mahan.

UP NEXT
The Tritons will return to non-conference play for the remainder of December, traveling to face California Baptist next Saturday, Dec. 14. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with live statistics 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 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.