LONG BEACH, Calif.—UC San Diego women's basketball clinched a berth to the 2026 Big West Championship with a 64-53 victory over Long Beach State on Thursday evening in Walter Pyramid. The Tritons (16-6, 11-1 Big West) made 29 free throws—shooting 85 percent as a team from the charity stripe—against the Beach (3-19, 2-10 Big West).
 
Erin Condron set the program's Division I single-game record with 32 points, including a career-high 14-for-16 from the free throw line. She recorded her seventh double-double of the season, finishing with 13 rebounds and two blocks. Dymonique Maxie also scored in double-figures with 10 points, adding three assists. Makayla Rose tallied nine points, seven rebounds, while leading the team in assists (4) and steals (3). Sabrina Ma matched Rose with the team lead in assists and steals.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tritons got the ball inside to Condron early and often in the opening quarter with the junior forward scoring the first five points for UC San Diego. Back-to-back jumpers for Ma and Maxie gave the Tritons a 9-5 advantage midway through the opening frame. The Beach worked to tie the game with under four minutes to play in the quarter. Rose's layup gave the Tritons the edge once again with 2:19 on the clock, but LBSU closed out the quarter on a 7-1 run to lead, 16-12, at the break. 
 
The Tritons opened the second period with six consecutive points—four coming from Condron—to retake the lead, 18-16. The Beach responded with a jumper and a 3-pointer to pull in front, 21-18, midway through the period. UC San Diego went 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the back half of the quarter, putting together another six-point run to lead, 24-21. However, the Beach closed out the quarter with five straight points to take a 26-24 lead into the halftime intermission. UC San Diego struggled from beyond the arc, going 0-for-8 in the first half, while Long Beach connected five times from distance.
 
Both teams struggled to get going offensively to open the second half, with the Beach scoring the first points at 7:30 for their largest lead of the quarter, 28-24. UC San Diego then put together a six-point scoring run to jump back in front, 30-28. The Tritons remained aggressive, drawing nine fouls in the quarter and scoring eight of their 18 points at the free throw line. Condron scored 13 points in the period to help UC San Diego build an eight-point advantage. LBSU had the last shot, scoring on a buzzer beater to make it 42-36 in favor of the Tritons at the final quarter break.
 
Long Beach State carried the momentum into the fourth period, putting together a 13-4 scoring run to pull in front, 49-48, at the midpoint. With just over four minutes to play, the Tritons took control, scoring 12 straight points. Once again, UC San Diego spent plenty of time at the free throw line, sinking 13-of-14 in the quarter to secure the 64-53 victory.

QUOTABLE
"Obviously very proud of the resiliency of our team in the second half," said UC San Diego head coach Heidi VanDerveer. "I didn't think we played exceptionally well in the first half—we didn't hit a three and never really felt like we were disruptive defensively, or in a great rhythm offensively. But good teams, at this stage of the season, find ways to win, and we did.
 
"A great effort by Erin [Condron], with not just the domination on the block, but also just the ability to make plays out of the low post as well. She handled the doubles well, she scored through contact, got fouled and made her free throws. Obviously, she is a big presence for us, and has really improved that area of her game, just as her whole game has improved. But, again, very pleased with our second half, and people stepping up, making plays and staying with things. We know we're going to get everybody's best shot, and we have to really set the tone ourselves. I think we did that, specifically in the second half."

TRITON TIDBITS

• Erin Condron recorded career-highs in points and free throws, tallying her seventh double-double of the season. Her 32 points set the Tritons' Division I single game record.
• The Tritons also set the program's Division I record with 29 free throws made.
• UC San Diego had the advantage in points off turnovers (20-10), second chance points (14-12), fast break points (8-0) and turnovers forced (21-13). 
• The Tritons are now 6-6 in the all-time series and 2-0 this season against Long Beach State.
• UC San Diego starters were Erin Condron, Sabrina Ma, Dymonique Maxie, Makayla Rose and Rosa Smith.

 
UP NEXT
The Tritons will celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day on Saturday, playing host to Hawai'i in LionTree Arena at 4 p.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.