LA JOLLA, Calif.—UC San Diego women's basketball dropped a tough, 66-64, decision in overtime to CSUN on Saturday afternoon in LionTree Arena. The Tritons (12-17, 8-10 Big West) moved to 3-3 in the all-time series with the Matadors (3-26, 1-18 Big West).
 
Sumayah Sugapong led the Tritons offensively with 20 points, while Denali Pinto finished with 17 and Parker Montgomery added seven. Katie Springs collected 16 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards. Montgomery led the team with four assists and a career-high five steals, while Sugapong also collected five steals and Springs tallied four take-aways and a team-high two blocks.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams got off to a slow start, combining to shoot 2-for-12 from the field in the first half of the quarter. The Tritons began to find their rhythm midway through the period, building a 12-4 lead with 2:15 to play. The Matadors got back-to-back baskets to cut the lead in half before a timely three by Pinto stalled CSUN's momentum. After a slow start, UC San Diego took a 17-10 lead into the first quarter break.
 
The Tritons came out strong in the second period, putting together a 6-2 run including back-to-back layups by Izzy Forsyth. UC San Diego built its first double-digit lead of the contest, 23-12, with 6:01 to play in the half. After a three-point play by the Matadors, the Tritons put together a 4-0 scoring run to build their largest lead of the half, 27-15. CSUN scored five unanswered to close out the quarter and UC San Diego lead 27-20 at the halftime intermission.
 
Sugapong hit back-to-back baskets in the opening minutes of the second half to make it 31-22, Tritons. UC San Diego then put together a 12-2 scoring run—including nine unanswered—to build the largest lead of the contest, 43-26, midway through the period. The Matadors closed out the quarter with a nine-point run of their own and the Tritons took a 43-35 lead into the quarter break.
 
CSUN carried the momentum into the fourth period, cutting the lead to five with a quick three to open the quarter. The Tritons responded with a 5-0 run midway through the period to build their lead back to 10, but the Matadors would not go quietly. CSUN outscored UC San Diego 13-3 down the stretch to tie the game 57-all and force overtime. The Matadors scored 10 of their 22 points in the fourth period via free throws.
 
 The teams traded the lead in the first two minutes of the final quarter. With UC San Diego leading, 62-60, the Matadors scored six unanswered to jump in front for good, 66-62. Sugapong sank two free throws with 16 seconds remaining to make it a one-score game and the Tritons got two shots off in the final seconds but came up empty on both chances.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Sumayah Sugapong scored in double figures for the 22nd time this season—her fifth 20+ point performance. 
• Denali Pinto scored in double figures for the 18th time this season.
• Katie Springs recorded double-digit rebounds for the ninth time this season and set the Tritons' Division I single game record for offensive rebounds.
• UC San Diego celebrated Parker Montgomery, Denali Pinto and Katie Springs prior to the contest for Senior Day.

UP NEXT
UC San Diego will close out the 2023-24 season on the road next week, traveling to face UC Davis (March 7) and Cal Poly (March 9). The games 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 Conference 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 83 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.