The UCSD men’s basketball team looked to build on an earlier conference win when it hosted a pair of California Collegiate Athletic Association games against CSU Stanislaus and CSU Bakersfield on Jan. 3 and Jan. 4.
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On Jan. 3, the Warriors came out firing on all cylinders. They got out to a 16-3 lead in the first six minutes of the game and never looked back. The Tritons’ closest second-half margin was 14 points, and the Warriors won by a final score of 73-42.
In the game, UCSD shot just 29 percent from the field, including one for 22 from three-point range.
“”It was like a blur,”” said UCSD junior point guard Cameron Jackson.
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Junior C.J. Duffaut led the scoring attack for the Tritons with 10 points and four rebounds.
On Jan. 4, the Tritons had a chance to redeem themselves. Standing in their way was a 13th-ranked CSU Bakersfield team coming off a loss the night before. The Tritons hung with the Roadrunners until midway through the first half, when the Cal State Bakersfield up-tempo attack began to click.
Led by 25 first-half points from guard Billy Speer, including seven of nine from the three-point range, the Roadrunners went on a 29-12 run in the final 9:20 of the first half to extend their lead to 51-33 at halftime.
The second half was more of the same when Cal State Bakersfield extended its lead while the Tritons continued to turn the ball over; UCSD committed 23 turnovers to the Roadrunners’ 10.
“”The energy was much better than last night,”” Jackson said after the game on Jan. 4. “”Even though we lost again, the energy was much more positive. We need to improve each week and come out with this kind of energy.””
With the loss, UCSD falls to 1-3 in conference.
“”The [winter] break’s been weird,”” said UCSD freshman forward Adam Snyder, who had 10 points and 10 rebounds against the Roadrunners. “”If we play the way we did tonight, we’ll win some games. [Bakersfield] is a top team in our league. There was a totally different feeling tonight than last night.””
Speer finished the game with 31 points, including nine three-pointers, and the Roadrunners tied a team record with 14 three pointers.
“”I thought we played much better than last night,”” said UCSD head coach Greg Lanthier after the game against Cal State Bakersfield. “”We still need to work on some things, but we weren’t going to come out flat tonight.””
Over winter break, the Tritons went 1-3, the lone win against UC Santa Cruz.
“”We usually don’t play well during vacation, and this year was no exception,”” Lanthier said. “”I’m looking forward to everybody getting back in school on a regular schedule and into a routine.””
The Tritons go on the road to play at CSU Dominguez Hills on Jan. 10 and at CSU Los Angeles on Jan. 11.
