RIVERSIDE, Calif. – UC San Diego narrowly defeated UC Riverside 69-66 at SRC Arena on Saturday evening. The Tritons (13-4, 3-2 Big West) overcame a six-point halftime deficit by outscoring the Highlanders 43-34 in the second half, highlighted by a strong performance in the paint with 40 points.
Bol Dengdit led the team with 17 points, converting 7 of 14 field goal attempts.
Tom Beattie was a force on the boards, collecting 11 total rebounds while adding 11 points and recording one block.
Hudson Mayes contributed significantly from the free-throw line, successfully making all seven of his attempts to finish with 9 points.
Emanuel Prospere II added 8 points and distributed four assists in the game before fouling out.
Losers of five straight, UC Riverside now stands at 6-11 overall and 1-4 in Big West action.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego started strong, maintaining a competitive pace with effective inside scoring. Prospere contributed early with multiple layups, while
Alex Chaikin hit a key 3-pointer to give the team a slight edge. The visitors leveraged their interior presence, tallying 18 points in the paint during the first half.
UC Riverside managed to keep the game close, exchanging leads frequently. Despite the Tritons' efforts in the paint and contributions from the bench, the half ended with UC Riverside pulling ahead, leading 32–26 at the end of the first.
UCR used a 10-0 spurt spanning halftime to build its largest lead of the night, 37-26. A critical sequence unfolded midway, as Dengdit converted a layup and a three-pointer, helping UC San Diego briefly capture the lead. The visiting team showed resilience, countering UC Riverside's attempts to reclaim control by capitalizing on turnovers and maintaining pressure.
As the half progressed, Mayes contributed significantly with consistent free-throw shooting, while Beattie and
Leo Beath added pivotal points in the final minutes. Despite UC Riverside's late efforts to close the margin, the Tritons held their ground.
TRITON TIDBITS
- UC San Diego trailed at halftime for the second consecutive game and fifth time this season. The Tritons are 2-3 when down at intermission.
- Tom Beattie's double-double was his first of the season and the fifth by a Triton.
- The game featured five ties and ten lead changes.
- UC San Diego outscored UC Riverside in the paint, 40-18.
QUOTABLE
UP NEXT
It's another split week on The Big West schedule, as UC San Diego returns to La Jolla to host CSUN Thursday night. The first 2,500 fans in attendance will receive a replica jersey. Tickets can be purchased through the
Triton Box Office. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and KSDT radio, with a link to live stats on 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 has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-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 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.
