LA JOLLA, Calif.— UC San Diego women's basketball fell to Northern Arizona, 71-68, on Saturday afternoon in LionTree Arena. The Tritons (6-5) erased a 19-point deficit but came up just short in the comeback over the Lumberjacks (4-9).
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Four Tritons scored in double figures, led by
Erin Condron with 16 points.
Dymonique Maxie and
Makayla Rose each finished with 14 points and
Sabrina Ma added 12. Condron and Junaé Mahan led the team with six rebounds  and two blocks apiece. Maxie recorded a team-high six assists and three steals.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tritons struggled to get going offensively, with Northern Arizona building an early 7-0 lead. Ma and Smith knocked down back-to-back layups to get UC San Diego on the board, but the Lumberjacks continued to have the hot hand. A 3-pointer and a jumper gave NAU its largest lead of the opening quarter, 12-4. The Tritons matched the Lumberjacks shot-for-shot down the stretch, with NAU taking an 18-11lead into the first quarter break.
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The teams continued to battle early in the second quarter before the Lumberjacks put together a 10-point scoring run midway through the period, 34-15. UC San Diego gained momentum late in the quarter, going on an 8-1 scoring run to make it 39-27 with under a minute to play. However, NAU scored six unanswered to close out the quarter and take a 45-27 lead into halftime. Northern Arizona shot 58 percent from the field in the first half, compared to 36 percent for the Tritons.
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UC San Diego came out of the intermission with renewed energy, opening the third quarter with a six-point scoring run. The Tritons continued the defensive pressure, holding the Lumberjacks to just four points in the quarter. A bucket from Mahan sparked an 11-point run for UC San Diego to pull within three. A jumper from Maxie made it 49-46 with 4:57 on the clock, however, neither team would score again in the quarter. The Tritons outscored the Lumberjacks, 19-4, in the period to make it a one-possession game at the break.
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Northern Arizona found success from beyond the arc, with a pair of threes in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. Rose responded with a steal-and-score layup and a three-pointer before a Condron free throw pulled UC San Diego within one, 55-54. The Tritons continued to battle down the stretch, ultimately tying the game, 65-65, after back-to-back baskets by Condron with 1:27 to play. A jumper put the Lumberjacks back on top for good with 1:14 remaining. The Tritons got a couple late chances, but NAU ultimately came away with the win, 71-68.
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TRITON TIDBITS
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UP NEXT
UC San Diego will resume Big West play in the new year, playing host to Cal Poly on Jan. 1 at 12 p.m. and traveling to face Hawai'i on Jan. 3 at 9 p.m. PT. The games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be 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.
