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UC San Diego

Jaden Vance
Derrick Tuskan/UC San Diego

Men's Basketball

Cal State Fullerton Comes to La Jolla Thursday Night

UC San Diego welcomes Titans to LionTree Arena

LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego looks to defend its home court Thursday night when the Tritons welcome Cal State Fullerton to LionTree Arena. Last time out, the Tritons (12-3, 2-1) handed then-first place Hawai'i its first Big West loss. Alex Chaikin (21) and Bol Dengdit (19) each registered season highs in the scoring column, with Dimitrije Vukicevic adding a career-high 10 in the win. Cal State Fullerton (6-10, 1-3) downed UC Santa Barbara and fell to unbeaten UC Irvine last week.
 
UC San Diego has won 7 of 9 meetings between these programs all-time, including the last four. Thursday's tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and tickets can be purchased through the Triton Box Office. The game will feature live broadcasts on ESPN+ and KSDT. A link to live stats is available on UCSDTritons.com.
 
DETAILS
Game 16: UC San Diego (12-3, 2-1) vs. Cal State Fullerton (6-10, 1-3)
Thursday, Jan. 8 | 7 p.m.
LionTree Arena (4,000) | La Jolla
ESPN+ | KSDT | Live Stats
Series Record: UC San Diego leads, 7-2 (all Division I)
Last Meeting: Tritons 100, Cal State Fullerton 55 (March 1, 2025)

ABOUT THE TRITONS
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 12-3
Big West: 2-1
Home: 5-1
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 4-0
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
Streak: W1

ABOUT THE TITANS
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 6-10
Big West: 1-3
Home: 4-3
Away: 1-5
Neutral: 1-2
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
Streak: L1

WHAT'S NEXT
UC San Diego heads to UC Riverside for a 5 p.m. showdown Saturday evening. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and 97.3 The Fan, with a link to live stats on UCSDTritons.com.
  
LAST TIME OUT: TRITONS 83, HAWAI'I 73 Stats
UC San Diego redshirt freshman Dimitrije Vukicevic had a career night with 10 points and five rebounds off the bench as the Tritons knocked off first place Hawai'i, 83-73, Saturday night at LionTree Arena. Vukicevic was one of five in double figures for the Tritons, who improved to 12-3 overall and 2-1 in The Big West.
 
Alex Chaikin hit five-of-seven field goal tries and was 8-for-9 from the line in scoring a season-high 21 points. Bol Dengdit established a new season-high with 19 points, hitting 8-of-12 shots. Tom Beattie added 12 points, a career-high eight assists, and seven rebounds, with Leo Beath chipping in 10 points in the win.
 
LAST TIME VS. FULLERTON: TRITONS 100, TITANS 55 (3/01/2025) Stats
UC San Diego won its 11th consecutive game in impressive fashion, rolling to a 100-55 victory over Cal State Fullerton in LionTree Arena. Senior Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones led the way with 21 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals as the Tritons improved to 26-4 overall (16-2 Big West) with the win. The 45-point margin of victory was the largest-ever for UC San Diego in a Big West game.
 
UC San Diego forced 20 turnovers while committing just four. UC San Diego shot 53% for the game, improving to 11-1 when shooting 50% or better.
 
Tait-Jones was one of four Tritons to score in double figures, joined by Tyler McGhie (13, on four three-pointers), Hayden Gray with 11, and Justin Rochelin with 11.
 
ON THE REBOUND
UC San Diego handed Hawai'i its first conference loss, 83-73 (Jan. 3). The Tritons outrebounded the Rainbow Warriors, 33-29, despite UH holding a league-best +11.2 rebound margin coming in.
 
BOUNCING BACK
The Tritons have not lost back-to-back Big West games since Feb. 3 and Feb. 8, 2024, when UC San Diego fell at Long Beach State and then in overtime at Hawai'i.
 
LOWEST OF LOWS
UC San Diego's 67-65 loss at Cal Poly (Jan. 1) snapped a 16-game win streak against conference opponents. The Tritons scored a season low 65 points, shot under 40% for the first time in a game this season (35%), and hit just 21% of their second half field goal tries – the program's worst shooting half since opening night last season (18% first half in a five-point loss at San Diego State). The Tritons' 23 points after halftime at Cal Poly is UC San Diego's lowest scoring half this season.
 
MAYES MAKES HIS MARK
Freshman Hudson Mayes matched his career high with 12 points and pulled down a personal best 12 rebounds in a career-high 27 minutes off the bench at Cal Poly (Jan. 1) – marking his first career double-double. Mayes leads the team in field goal percentage, connecting on 69.1% of his attempts.
 
DOUBLE TROUBLE
First-year Triton Bol Dengdit posted a double-double in back-to-back games: 10 points, 10 rebounds vs. Stanton (Dec. 28) and 12 points, 12 rebounds at Cal Poly (Jan. 1). He is averaging 14.8 points per game over the last four.
 
BOL WITH THE BLOCKS
Bol Dengdit blocked three shots in back-to-back games (Dec. 19 vs. USD, Dec. 28 vs. Stanton).
 
DRAINING 'EM FROM DISTANCE
UC San Diego tied an NCAA Division I single game record when nine Tritons sank three-pointers in a win over Towson at Walt Disney World (Nov. 26). Over the three-day tournament, UC San Diego shot 51.9% from beyond the arc – hitting 40 of 77 attempts.
 
A PROSPERE-OUS NIGHT
First year Triton Emanuel Prospere II paced UC San Diego in a 26-point victory over Tulane in the Jack Jones Classic (Dec. 13). He scored 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting in the win. Prospere's 20 points, eight rebounds, and four steals were all a season high. 
 
KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY
With a 26-point victory over Tulane in the Jack Jones Classic (Dec. 13), UC San Diego has won all three games it's played three games at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada. The Tritons also downed UC Santa Barbara in the 2025 Big West semifinal and UC Irvine in the 2025 Big West Championship. The conference's postseason tournament will be held at that venue again in 2026.
 
THE LONG ROAD
UC San Diego wrapped up a 34-day stretch between home games – the longest such stretch for the Tritons in their Division I or II era (2000-present). This year's squad traveled 6,042 miles between their Nov. 15 home game vs. Idaho and Dec. 19 home game vs. USD. The last time UC San Diego was away from La Jolla for more than 30 days was a 31-day stint in 2007-08.
 
LISTEN UP!
UC San Diego and Audacy have partnered to bring Tritons basketball to 97.3 The Fan – home of the San Diego Padres – in a multi-year deal. All remaining Big West road games this season – plus postseason games – will air live on 97.3 The Fan and stream on the Audacy app.
 
MICKEY'S MOST VALUABLE
First year Triton Leo Beath was named Most Valuable Player at the Terry's Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational, leading UC San Diego to three wins in three days at Walt Disney World (Nov. 24-26). Beath averaged 23.7 points per game, shooting 61.9% over three games. He drained 9-of-13 three-point attempts (69.2%) and averaged four rebounds and 1.7 steals per game in the victories over Temple, Bradley, and Towson.
 
RACKING UP THE AWARDS
After being named tournament MVP at the Terry's Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational, Leo Beath piled up the awards. The following week, he was selected Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week by the USBWA, named the Lou Henson Award-winner as mid-major's top performer, voted Big West Player of the Week, and garnered UCU Athlete of the Week honors on campus. The Big West honor was Beath's second of the season (also Nov. 17). Beath was named to the Lou Henson Award watch list on Dec. 18.
 
A YEAR TO REMEMBER
Including the postseason, the Tritons were 29-5 in 2025.
 
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
UC San Diego has turned LionTree Arena into a true home court advantage, boasting a 32-5 record in La Jolla over the past two-plus seasons.
 
TRITONS IN THE PROS
Three Tritons from last year's Big West Championship team are playing professionally this year. Tyler McGhie is playing for Gipuzkoa Basket in Spain, Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones is competing with Valmiera Glass in Latvia, and Hayden Gray is playing in the NBA G League for the Maine Celtics (Boston).
 
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 84 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. 

 
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Players Mentioned

Hayden Gray

#3 Hayden Gray

G
6' 4"
Senior
Tyler  McGhie

#13 Tyler McGhie

G/F
6' 5"
Senior
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones

#12 Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones

G/F
6' 6"
Senior
Justin Rochelin

#5 Justin Rochelin

G
6' 5"
Redshirt Junior
Emanuel Prospere II

#5 Emanuel Prospere II

G/F
6' 5"
Graduate Student
Bol Dengdit

#7 Bol Dengdit

F
6' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Leo Beath

#8 Leo Beath

F
6' 8"
Redshirt Junior
Tom Beattie

#9 Tom Beattie

G
6' 5"
Junior
Dimitrije Vukicevic

#33 Dimitrije Vukicevic

C
7' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
Alex Chaikin

#10 Alex Chaikin

G
6' 5"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Hayden Gray

#3 Hayden Gray

6' 4"
Senior
G
Tyler  McGhie

#13 Tyler McGhie

6' 5"
Senior
G/F
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones

#12 Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones

6' 6"
Senior
G/F
Justin Rochelin

#5 Justin Rochelin

6' 5"
Redshirt Junior
G
Emanuel Prospere II

#5 Emanuel Prospere II

6' 5"
Graduate Student
G/F
Bol Dengdit

#7 Bol Dengdit

6' 11"
Redshirt Junior
F
Leo Beath

#8 Leo Beath

6' 8"
Redshirt Junior
F
Tom Beattie

#9 Tom Beattie

6' 5"
Junior
G
Dimitrije Vukicevic

#33 Dimitrije Vukicevic

7' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
C
Alex Chaikin

#10 Alex Chaikin

6' 5"
Sophomore
G

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