LA JOLLA, Calif. – With the UC San Diego men's basketball team preparing for Saturday's first-ever Division I era postseason game, demand for season tickets for next year is at an all-time high.
Within 24 hours of going live, more than one-third of Triton season ticket holders renewed their seats for next year's first season of NCAA Division I championship eligibility. In the first week of the renewal period, more than 50 percent have either formally renewed or pledged to maintain their support for the Tritons next season in LionTree Arena. Additionally, more than 20 seats have been purchased through deposits by fans excited about the future of the Triton program.
Fans interested in placing a deposit toward next season's tickets may do so by visiting the Triton Box Office online or by calling (858) 534-1430. Current season ticket holders will have rights to retain their seats as well as to upgrade later this spring. New season ticket seat locations will be assigned this summer and will prioritized in order of deposit date.
In addition to a guaranteed seat at every game, season ticket holders also receive priority for Big West and NCAA postseason tickets, team meet-and-greet events and other benefits.
The Triton men's basketball program has enjoyed a consistent rise in support over the last three seasons, increasing its attendance average by 632 fans per game. The team's game that featured narrow one-point loss to last year's NCAA finalist San Diego State was attended by a capacity crowd of 4,000 fans, while 3,083 attended its annual Spirit Night contest.
Triton men's basketball continues to attract fantastic campus support with an attendance average of nearly 500 students per game with 2,037 attending the contest against San Diego State and 1,739 for Spirit Night.
Under Big West Coach of the Year's Eric Olen's direction, this year's Tritons entered the preseason of its final year of NCAA transition slightly under the radar – ranking ninth in the league's preseason coaches' poll. The team went on to post a stellar 21-11 overall record during the regular season, went 15-5 against league competition to finish second in The Big West standings and earned a number two seed in this week's Ro College Basketball Invitational (CBI) in Daytona Beach, Fla.
With first-team all-Big West guard Bryce Pope leading the way, four UC San Diego scholar-athletes earned all-league awards. Transfer Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones was named the conference Newcomer of the Year, Tyler McGhie burst on the scene as the Best Sixth Player and veteran Francis Nwaokorie joined the aforementioned on the honorable mention all-conference team.
The Tritons open the CBI Saturday with a 12:30 p.m. (PDT) game in Ocean Center against Chicago State. The winner will face either Fairfield or Little Rock on Monday at 1:30 p.m. The semifinals are scheduled for Tuesday with the final on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
The first two rounds will be streamed live via subscription service FloHoops, while the semis and final will be televised on ESPN2.
Triton fans in the San Diego area are invited to watch the games on campus at Dirty Birds in the Price Center or at Shore Rider in La Jolla.
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 83 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.
