UC San Diego

SAN DIEGO—UC San Diego women's basketball secured a 90-88 overtime victory over the University of San Diego on Saturday afternoon in Pechanga Arena. The Tritons (1-1) erased a 10-point deficit in the final minute of regulation to force extra time and eventually prevail over the Toreros (1-1) in the inaugural National University Bill Walton Classic.
 
The Tritons got career performances from Lev Feiman with a game-high 21 points and Michaela Fairwell with 17 points and the game-winner with 5.6 seconds remaining. Feiman added a team-high four assists and five rebounds, while Fairwell collected three steals and two assists. Erin Condron had an all-around standout performance with 19 points, eight rebounds, four steals, three assists and two blocks. Sadie Sin also finished in double figures with 13 points, including a team-best 3-for-5 from three-point range. Alexandra Cummins added nine points—including two critical three-pointers in the final minute of regulation to send the game to overtime—and led the team with four assists.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego struggled to convert in the first quarter, shooting 5-for-19 overall and missing all four 3-point attempts as USD outscored the Tritons, 18-11. Feiman gave the Tritons early production with two layups, while Rosa Smith, Condron and Fairwell added baskets in the paint. The Tritons forced three turnovers and got two blocks from Condron, but the Toreros finished the quarter with a 16-10 rebounding edge.
 
The Tritons generated four steals and 11 points off turnovers in the second quarter, using that pressure to create offense. Sin hit consecutive 3-pointers during a turnover-fueled stretch, with Feiman and Condron assisting on the makes. The Toreros still edged the quarter and took a 38-30 lead into the halftime intermission.
 
The Tritons did much of their third-quarter scoring inside, getting 12 points in the paint and four Condron layups during the quarter. USD still outscored the Tritons 19-17 in the quarter, with Cummins' late 3-pointer providing the Tritons' lone make from beyond the arc. The Toreros maintained a ten-point advantage, 57-47, at the final quarter break.
 
UC San Diego used a 31-point fourth quarter to get back even, highlighted by nine points from Fairwell and seven from Feiman. Trailing by 10 with 1:06 left in regulation, Cummins made two pivotal 3-pointers to tie the game at 78-78 with 10 seconds left. The Tritons shot 11-for-16 in the quarter, including 4-for-7 from 3-point range, and forced overtime after the Toreros missed at the buzzer.
 
The Tritons shot 5-for-8 in the extra session, with Fairwell adding two steals and two baskets as the teams traded late ties. Smith made two free throws with 50 seconds left, and Emma Cook's layup earlier tied the score at 86-86. Fairwell hit a jumper with six seconds left in overtime, giving the Tritons a 90-88 win over the Toreros.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Emma Cook and Sadie Sin made their first collegiate starts in the contest.
• Lev Feiman, Michaela Fairwell and Sadie Sin all registered career high points in the contest. 
• The Tritons had the advantage in points off turnovers (23-10), points in the paint (52-32), fast break points (9-5), assists (18-15), steals (13-7) and turnovers forced (19-13).
  • USD had the edge in second chance points (15-2) and rebounds (45-32).
• UC San Diego shot 48.0 percent from the field, compared to 46.2 for USD.
• UC San Diego is now 3-11 in the all-time series and 1-0 in Division I against the University of San Diego.

 
UP NEXT
The Tritons will begin a stretch of three games in LionTree Arena, starting with the home opener against Portland State on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 11 a.m. The game 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.