LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego women's basketball (12-13, 8-5 Big West) put on a defensive clinic Thursday, collecting 15 steals in a 63-45 victory over Cal State Bakersfield (2-22, 2-12 Big West). Â
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Sumayah Sugapong led the team on both ends, racking up 12 points, nine rebounds and four steals. On Celebrating Black Excellence Night,
Kayanna Spriggs contributed to the defense-heavy campaign with three steals and another four defensive rebounds, while also picking up 11 points.
Erin Condron's strong first half efforts saw her record 11 points, as well as a block and steal.Â
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HOW IT HAPPENEDÂ
After a slow start, the Tritons drew their first lead at 5-4 via a
Sabrina Ma three-pointer. The Roadrunners struggled through a four-minute scoring drought, wherein they gave up possession seven times before a media timeout at 9-4. Condron dominated off the bench, collecting back-to-back layups, a pair of free throws, and a buzzer-beating three to cap off the first quarter scored at 19-6.Â
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UC San Diego's aggressive defense continued into the second quarter as Bakersfield experienced 1-of-8 and 1-of-7 shooting stints throughout the period.
Gracie Gallegos and Sugapong both recorded four points, highlighted by a pullup Gallegos jumper and steal-and-score lay up from Sugapong, to go up 34-15 heading into halftime. Â Â
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Spriggs nabbed consecutive steals to start the second half, followed by a steal each from Ma and Gallegos that forced an early Bakersfield timeout at 40-15. The break boosted the visitors' success as they went on a 16-0 run over four minutes that included a pair of threes. Junaé Mahan broke the Tritons out of the drought with a pull-up jumper, followed by a banked-in three by Ma to claw back a 49-32 lead.Â
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Scoring slowed in the final 10 minutes as defense tightened up on both ends. The Tritons went 0-for-7 over three minutes, while the Roadrunners went 0-for-4 over four minutes. Both droughts were quenched by free throws.
Rosa Smith dialed in during the final two minutes, finessing two layups to help the Tritons to a 63-45 win.Â
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TRITON TIDBITSÂ
UP NEXTÂ
UC San Diego takes a trip to Northern California for a 2 p.m. matchup against UC Davis on Saturday. The Tritons are 5-18 all-time against the Aggies. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with live statistics available via UCSDTritons.com.Â
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About UC San Diego AthleticsÂ
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 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.Â