LA JOLLA, Calif. – First place UC San Diego puts its four-game Big West win streak on the line Thursday as the Tritons travel to Bakersfield for a showdown with the Roadrunners. Last time out, UC San Diego earned a 92-88 overtime win over UC Irvine in a battle of Big West leaders. Cal State Bakersfield is 9-4 at home this season after trouncing UC Davis on Saturday.
When these two teams met in the Big West opener on Dec. 28, the Tritons earned a 76-64 win over the 'Runners in La Jolla. A victory Thursday would give the Tritons their first 20-win season in Division I (and the sixth in
Eric Olen's 11 years as head coach).
Thursday's game tips at 7 p.m. with a live broadcast on ESPN+ and live stats on UCSDTritons.com.
DETAILS
Game 29
UC San Diego (19-9, 13-3 Big West) at Cal State Bakersfield (11-17, 6-11 Big West)
Thursday, February 29
7 p.m.
Icardo Center (3,497), Bakersfield
TV: ESPN+
Radio: [none]
Watch |
Live Stats
Series Record: Cal State Bakersfield leads 19-4 (CSUB 4-3 in Division I)
Last Meeting: at UC San Diego 76, Cal State Bakersfield 64 (Dec. 28)
ABOUT THE TRITONS
Roster |
Schedule |
Stats
Overall: 19-9
Big West: 13-3
Home: 13-1
Away: 6-7
Neutral: 0-1
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
Streak: W4
TRITONS, STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
| Stat |
UCSD |
Opp. |
| Points |
77.3 |
68.5 |
| Field Goal Pct. |
.460 |
.432 |
| 3-Point FG Pct. |
.352 |
.328 |
| Free Throw Pct. |
.760 |
.700 |
| Rebounds |
34.8 |
34.7 |
| Assists |
13.3 |
12.3 |
| Turnovers |
9.4 |
12.0 |
| Steals |
6.4 |
4.3 |
| Blocks |
2.8 |
3.5 |
ABOUT THE ROADRUNNERS
Roster |
Schedule |
Stats
Overall: 11-17
Big West: 6-11
Home: 9-4
Away: 1-12
Neutral: 1-1
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-2
Streak: W1
WHAT'S NEXT
The Tritons visit CSUN on Saturday for their final Big West road game of the season. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. from Northridge with a live stream on ESPN+ and live stats on UCSDTritons.com.
LAST TIME OUT
UC San Diego senior
Bryce Pope scored a career-high 32 as the Tritons outlasted UC Irvine, 92-88, in overtime Saturday afternoon in LionTree Arena. Pope's three-pointer with less than a second to play in regulation pushed the game into the extra period, where UC San Diego earned the win and improved to 13-1 at home.
The victory moved the Tritons (19-9 overall, 13-3 Big West) into a tie for first place with the Anteaters (20-8, 13-3) atop The Big West standings with four games remaining in the regular season.
Pope was one of four UC San Diego players to finish in double figures, with
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones adding 14,
Tyler McGhie and
Francis Nwaokorie scoring 11 apiece, and
Hayden Gray adding 10. Tait-Jones and Nwaokorie led the way on the glass with seven rebounds apiece.
LAST TIME VS. CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD (DEC. 28)
UC San Diego led from start to finish as the Tritons opened conference play with a 76-64 victory over Cal State Bakersfield at LionTree Arena.
Bryce Pope led the way with 23 points for the Tritons (7-6, 1-0 Big West).
Francis Nwaokorie added 13 points, five rebounds and a career-high four steals in the win.
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones contributed 17 points and six rebounds.
As a team, UC San Diego came away with a season-best 13 steals.
TENACIOUS ON D
UC San Diego allowed a season-low 46 points in the win over UC Santa Barbara (Feb. 15). The 46 points allowed marked the fewest the Tritons have ever surrendered in a Big West game, and the fewest allowed since an 75-39 win over Saint Katherine on Dec. 23, 2020.
STARTING OFF STRONG
UC San Diego has used the same starting lineup in each of its first 28 games. Wisconsin is the only other Division I program to utilize the same starting five in each game this season.
IN SEARCH OF 20
A Triton victory Thursday at Cal State Bakersfield would give UC San Diego its first 20-win season at the Division I level. The Tritons had five consecutive seasons of 20+ victories under head coach
Eric Olen in Division II from 2015-16 through 2019-20.
GOING POLLING
UC San Diego is ranked 23rd in this week's Mid-Major Top 25 poll – the second time this season the Tritons have been ranked, and the program's highest ranking to date.
TRITONS VS. THE BIG WEST
Here's a look at how UC San Diego has stacked up against conference competition since joining The Big West prior to the 2020-21 season:
| Opponent |
Home |
Road |
Neutral |
Total |
Streak |
| Cal Poly |
0-1 |
2-1 |
0-0 |
2-2 |
W2 |
| Cal State Bakersfield |
2-1 |
1-3 |
0-0 |
3-4 |
W1 |
| Cal State Fullerton |
4-1 |
1-1 |
0-0 |
5-2 |
W2 |
| CSUN |
3-0 |
2-0 |
0-0 |
5-0 |
W5 |
| Hawai'i |
1-2 |
0-3 |
0-0 |
1-5 |
L1 |
| Long Beach State |
1-2 |
1-2 |
0-0 |
2-4 |
L1 |
| UC Davis |
1-2 |
1-2 |
0-0 |
2-4 |
W1 |
| UC Irvine |
1-3 |
1-3 |
0-0 |
2-6 |
W1 |
| UC Riverside |
3-2 |
1-3 |
0-0 |
4-5 |
W2 |
| UC Santa Barbara |
2-1 |
1-4 |
0-0 |
3-5 |
W2 |
SECOND HALF SURGE
In UC San Diego's 92-59 win at UC Davis (Jan. 27), the Tritons outscored the Aggies 54-23 in the second half.
Bryce Pope scored 22 after halftime (29 total) and UC San Diego sank ten three-pointers in the second half.
KNOCKING 'EM DOWN
When UC San Diego shot 60.4% in a win at Cal State Fullerton (Jan. 6), it marked the second time ever in a Big West game – and the first on the road – in which UC San Diego shot 60% or better from the floor against a conference foe. The Tritons also sank 67.9% of their shots in their first-ever win over a Division I opponent (vs. UC Davis, Jan. 21, 2021).
BIG WEST LEADERBOARD
Here's a look at where the Tritons rank in The Big West statistically:
| Category |
Stat |
Rank |
| Scoring |
77.3 ppg |
Second |
| Scoring, Big West games |
77.9 |
First |
| Scoring margin |
8.8 |
Second |
| Scoring margin, BW games |
9.2 |
First |
| FG percentage, BW games |
47.1% |
Second |
| 3FG percentage |
35.2% |
Second |
| 3FG percentage, BW games |
35.8% |
First |
| 3FG per game |
8.9 |
First |
| 3FG per game, BW games |
8.8 |
First |
| FT percentage |
76.0% |
Second |
| Turnovers per game |
9.4 |
First |
| Turnovers per game, BW games |
8.8 |
First |
| Assist-Turnover ratio |
1.41 |
First |
| Assist-Turnover ratio, BW games |
1.49 |
First |
POPE IS BIG WEST PLAYER OF THE WEEK (FEB. 26)
Bryce Pope hit a
dramatic buzzer-beater and scored a career-high 32 points on 11-of-19 shooting as UC San Diego moved back into a first-place tie in The Big West with an overtime win against the Anteaters Saturday afternoon at LionTree Arena. In the process, he moved into sixth place all-time at UC San Diego with 1,530 career points. For the week, Pope averaged 19 points and 5.5 rebounds per game as the Tritons went 2-0.
AWARD WINNERS
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones, Big West Player of the Week, Nov. 13
Bryce Pope, UCU Athlete of the Week, Nov. 27, Dec. 4, Jan. 2, Jan. 8, Jan. 29, Feb. 26
Tyler McGhie, UCU Athlete of the Week, Dec. 26
Bryce Pope, Big West Player of the Week, Jan. 15, Jan. 29, Feb. 26
Francis Nwaokorie, UCU Athlete of the Week, Jan. 15
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones, UCU Athlete of the Week, Feb. 12
1,000-POINT SCORERS
In the Tritons' win over UC Santa Barbara (Feb. 15),
Francis Nwaokorie became the latest UC San Diego player to score 1,000 career points. Here are the program's top all-time scorers:
UC San Diego All-Time Scoring Leaders (includes games played at other institutions)
| Name |
Years |
Games Played |
Points |
| Paul Trainer |
1971-75 |
104 |
1,930 |
| Matt Aune |
1993-97 |
100 |
1,780 |
| Mike Wall |
1995-99 |
100 |
1,700 |
| Greg Kaminsky |
1983-87 |
104 |
1,588 |
| Tim Rapp |
1987-91 |
75 |
1,556 |
| Bryce Pope |
2020-pr. |
100 |
1,530 |
| Adam Klie |
2013-17 |
118 |
1,524 |
| Christian Oshita |
2016-20 |
100 |
1,505 |
| Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones |
2020-pr. |
90 |
1,435 |
| Chris Hansen |
2015-20 |
113 |
1,418 |
| Rick Batt |
1988-92 |
106 |
1,410 |
| Jordan Lawley |
2006-10 |
110 |
1,398 |
| James McCann |
2010-14 |
107 |
1,339 |
| Drew Dyer |
2012-16 |
108 |
1,333 |
| Tyler McGhie |
2020-pr. |
88 |
1,172 |
| Clint Allard |
2004-08 |
112 |
1,150 |
| Francis Nwaokorie |
2021-pr. |
86 |
1,037 |
UC San Diego 30-Point Games, Division I
| Name |
Date |
Opponent |
Points |
Game Score |
| Toni Rocak |
Dec. 30, 2021 |
vs. UC Santa Barbara |
34 |
W, 85-83 (OT) |
| Bryce Pope |
Feb. 24, 2024 |
vs. UC Irvine |
32 |
W, 92-88 (OT) |
| Bryce Pope |
Nov. 22, 2022 |
at George Washington |
31 |
W, 75-70 |
HEAD COACH ERIC OLEN
When UC San Diego won at Cal Poly (Jan. 13), the victory marked the 200th in the career of Triton head coach
Eric Olen. In his 11th season as head coach, Olen has transformed the program. He is the program's all-time leader in victories.
In Division II, Olen led the Tritons to three California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) regular season titles, four consecutive CCAA tournament crowns over seven seasons. In Division II, he posted a .740 winning percentage, and he was named NABC West Region Coach of the Year for the first time in 2019-20 after leading the Tritons to a 30-1 record and the top seed in the NCAA West Region.
Olen's career coaching record stands at 208-111 (.652).
DIVISION I FIRSTS
| First Season |
2020-21 |
| First Game |
Dec. 22, 2020 vs. Saint Katherine |
| First Win over Division I Opponent |
Jan. 22, 2021 vs. UC Davis |
| First Basket vs. D1 Opponent |
Jace Roquemore (1/8/21) vs. UC Irvine |
| First Division I Road Win |
Nov. 9, 2021 at Cal |
| First Big West Road Win |
Feb. 3, 2022 at CSUN |
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.
Single game tickets to UC San Diego basketball home games are now on-sale. For more information or to purchase,
click here. Currently enrolled UC San Diego students are provided free admission by showing a valid campus ID at the arena entrance.
GAME DAY GOES DIGITAL
Triton fans can access game day information from their smart phones by visiting
UCSDTritons.com/MBBgameday or scanning 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 Communications 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.
ON THE MOVE
After 20 seasons playing as an NCAA Division II team, the entire athletics program is in its final year of a four-year transition to NCAA Division I, culminating in full DI status as a member of
The Big West for the 2024-25 academic year. At that time, all sports will be eligible for conference and NCAA postseason play.
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 basketball, visit
UCSDTritons.com/live.
HOOPS TALK ON UC SAN DIEGO ATHLETICS' PODCAST
As part of UC San Diego's transition to Division I, the Athletics Department launched a weekly podcast,
Tritoncast. Produced by UC San Diego Athletics Communications, Tritoncast features in-depth interviews with UC San Diego personalities including scholar-athletes, alums, coaches, and administrators. Triton fans will get an inside look at the UC San Diego Athletics Department as the program transitions to NCAA Division I and The Big West. New episodes of Tritoncast are available each week on the most popular podcasting apps. In addition, each episode can be heard and downloaded on UCSDTritons.com. For individual show information and listen links, follow Tritoncast on X
@Tritoncast.
MEN'S BASKETBALL ON TRITONCAST
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 has begun a new era 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 garnered 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. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.
