After impressive victories over California Collegiate
Athletic Association rivals Cal State Stanislaus and
the men’s basketball team has opened its regular season home schedule with
back-to-back victories for the first time since its 2004-05 season. The Tritons
will look to win their third-straight home game to open the season on Dec. 6
against Alaska Fairbanks, something the team has not accomplished since the
1998-99 season, prior to UCSD’s move to Division II.
With a 2-0 conference record and 2-2 record overall, UCSD
will attempt to even up the all-time series with Alaska Fairbanks, currently in
the Nanooks’ favor at 2-1.
Sophomore forward Andrew Browning was pleased with the
Tritons’ fresh start at home and attributed the wins to the team’s preparation.
“I think that the two wins we pulled out this weekend were
very important,” he said. “We have been working really hard in practices,
preparing for league [games] and winning our opening games gives us some
momentum.
According to Browning, home-court advantage played a role in
the team’s victories.
“Starting off the league season at home ended up being
beneficial for us,” he said. “It was great to see some support from the
students who came out and I know that we fed off their energy.”
In the season’s early stages, UCSD has exhibited a deeper
lineup, with 10 players having played in each of the four games, and three
players averaging double-digit points, led by sophomore guard Jordan Lawley at
11.5 points per game. The Tritons also have three players averaging over two
assists per game, led by senior guard Clint Allard’s 5.5, and three players
averaging four rebounds or more per game, again led by Allard at 6.8 per game.
In comparison to last season, only two UCSD players averaged more than two
assists per game — junior guard Kelvin Kim at 3.8 and Allard at 3.7 — and
junior forward Shane Poppen was the only Triton to average more than four
rebounds per game.
As a team, UCSD holds advantages over its opponents in
assists and rebounds, as well as three-point field goal percentages. The Triton
offense this season has appeared much more fluid, yielding more open shots and
opportunities, with the team collectively shooting 39.5 percent from long
distance.
Poppen, who is averaging four rebounds this season in
addition to 6.3 points in 19.5 minutes per game, credited the squad’s better
cohesion for its marked success.
“Unselfishness is key in our offense,” he said. “Our offense
is a lot less rigid this year allowing for more freedom on the offensive end.
The freedom allows our team to be more creative, but we also know to stay
within the framework of the offense and set hard screens getting other people
open.”
Some of this season’s early success can be attributed to the
Triton’s new head coach Chris Carlson. In his first-year at UCSD, Carlson has
demonstrated strong leadership skills and basketball knowledge while
establishing a solid connection with his players.
“[Carlson] has definitely had a positive impact,” Poppen
said. “He drives us to be the best team we can be and truly believes in us.”
Browning, who has more than doubled his points- and
rebounds-per-game totals from last season and emerged as a key Triton reserve
and frontcourt stalwart, echoed Poppen’s sentiment, saying that Carlson is taking
the Tritons in the right direction.
“Coach Carlson has done a great job [in] his first year
here,” Browning said. “He has made the transition of the coaching change go
smoothly and has really exceeded my expectations coming into the year.”
According to Browning, Carlson’s rave reviews stem from his
approachability.
“He is a great player’s coach [and] is very easy to talk to
on and off the court,” Browning said. “His style of coaching sets us up for
success. He incorporates competition into everything we do in practice and
makes sure that we are always playing as hard as we can to win.”
The Tritons will look to push their early-season record to
above .500 against Alaska Fairbanks, but the Nanooks will not bow easily.
“Alaska Fairbanks is a really good team and have beaten some
good Division I schools,” Browning said. “They are going to be a tough team to
beat, but if we bring the intensity on defense we played in our last two games,
we will have a great chance of winning.”
Following their matchup with Alaska Fairbanks, scheduled for
7 p.m. at RIMAC Arena, the Tritons will continue their homestand against
William Jewell College on Dec. 16 at 3 p.m. and against Wayne State on Dec. 18
at 7 p.m.
The Tritons will play two more games in January before UCSD
classes resume for Winter Quarter, traveling to face CCAA opponents
on Jan. 4 and
both games scheduled for 7:30 p.m. tipoffs.
