LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego secured a 72-66 Big West victory over UC Riverside (8-19, 3-12 Big West) at LionTree Arena Saturday night. The Tritons (18-9 overall, 8-7 Big West) maintained a strong presence in the paint, scoring 40 points, and capitalized on fast breaks with 16 points. UC San Diego's defense also forced 11 turnovers and recorded eight steals, helping them hold off the Highlanders in a closely contested matchup.
Freshman
Hudson Mayes scored a career-high 24 points and added seven rebounds while also delivering four assists. Junior
Bol Dengdit contributed 16 points and collected eight rebounds. Freshman
Dimitrije Vukicevic made five field goals and recorded two steals. Junior
Tom Beattie tallied seven points and matched Dengdit with eight rebounds.
UC San Diego has won three of its last four overall and three straight home games.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The game began with UC San Diego establishing an early presence in the paint, highlighted by Mayes' dunk just 16 seconds into the half. The Tritons maintained a slight edge through efficient ball movement, evidenced by nine assists, and a strong presence under the basket with 19 rebounds. The team capitalized on second-chance points, scoring six in this category, and secured momentum with a 20-point effort in the paint.
As the half progressed, UC San Diego built its lead through key offensive plays, including a late tip-in by Mayes at the buzzer, pushing its score to 32. UCR managed to stay competitive through effective 3-point shooting, but the Tritons' defensive efforts, including three steals and 13 defensive rebounds, kept the visitors at bay. The half concluded with UC San Diego leading 32–28.
UC San Diego extended its lead in the second half with a strong offensive performance, highlighted by Mayes' three-pointer and Dengdit's fast-break layup, which contributed to a 7-point advantage at the midpoint. The Tritons' defense forced multiple turnovers, which were capitalized on by fast-break opportunities, including
Jaden Vance's steal and layup.
Despite the Highlanders' attempts to close the gap, including Andrew Henderson's three-pointer and layup, the Tritons maintained their lead through consistent free-throw shooting by Mayes. The half ended with UC San Diego ahead 72-66.
TRITON TIDBITS
- The Tritons limited the Highlanders to 37% shooting on the night. UC San Diego is 17-2 this season when posting a better field goal percentage than its opponent.
- The halftime score was 32-28 Tritons. UC San Diego is 15-1 (7-0 at home) when leading at the half.
- UC San Diego improved to 5-2 vs. UCR at LionTree Arena since joining The Big West.
- The Tritons wore their alternate gold jerseys for the second time this season, winning both games.
QUOTABLE
UP NEXT
UC San Diego will enjoy its final bye date on Thursday night before traveling north to visit rival UC Irvine next Saturday night. Game time is set for 7 p.m. from Bren Events Center, with live broadcasts on Spectrum SportsNet and 97.3 The Fan in San Diego. Live stats will be available 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.
