NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – UC San Diego secured a 77-71 victory over CSUN at Premier America Credit Union Arena Thursday night. The Tritons sank 13 three-pointers and forced 16 Matador turnovers on the way to their tenth win in a row – the program's second double-digit win streak this season. With the victory, UC San Diego (25-4, 15-2 Big West) clinched a double bye to the conference semifinals next month at The Big West Championship in Henderson, Nev.
The Matadors (20-8, 12-5) had their seven-game win streak snapped.
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones led the Tritons with 20 points, shooting 8-for-15 from the field and adding seven rebounds and four assists.
Hayden Gray contributed significantly with 13 points and five assists, hitting three 3-pointers and recording a pair of steals.
Justin Rochelin made an impact with nine points on three 3-pointers and two steals, while
Nordin Kapic added 15 points, with three 3-pointers and four rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first half featured a pair of ties and three lead changes, as UC San Diego took a 37-30 lead into halftime. The Matadors took a 12-11 lead on a Grady Lewis layup, but UC San Diego never trailed after that. Tait-Jones scored 11 and Rochelin sank a pair from distance, helping the Tritons take the lead into the locker room.
Tyler McGhie scored nine in the first half for UC San Diego. The Tritons held a 22-18 advantage on the glass through 20 minutes.
CSUN used an 11-0 run bridging halftime to draw within one, 37-36, before UC San Diego hit some big buckets. With his team leading by four, a reverse jam by Gray on a fast break extended the UC San Diego cushion.
CSUN got back to within two, 73-71, with just 40 seconds to play. Kapic came through with a clutch driving layup and then added a pair of free throws to seal the win.
QUOTABLE
TRITON TIDBITS
- UC San Diego improved to 14-2 in games played away from La Jolla – the second most road/neutral wins in Division I.
- The Tritons improved to 21-0 when leading at halftime.
- UC San Diego is one of seven Division I teams with six active 1,000-point scorers.
- The Tritons forced 16 turnovers while committing just nine. UC San Diego has won the turnover battle in 28 of its 29 games this season, and the Tritons lead Division I in turnover margin.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego returns to LionTree Arena to host Cal State Fullerton on Saturday night. The game tips at 7 p.m. and will air on ESPN+ and KSDT radio, with live stats on UCSDTritons.com. Tickets can be purchased through
Triton Box Office.
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 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Divisions I and II.
