On Nov. 30, 2024, the Tritons arrived at their game against Division-III La Verne in the midst of a hot streak and exploded for a 109-33 rout — their biggest margin of victory since transitioning to Division I. One season later, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, they met the Leopards again, this time to open the 2025-26 season.
UC San Diego men’s basketball (1-0, 0-0 Big West) entered its first regular season game of the new campaign in need of a statement win after an unconvincing 74-72 overtime victory in an exhibition against Division-II Cal State San Marcos.
“Take it one play at a time, dominate every possession, that’s the idea,” redshirt junior forward Leo Beath said in a postgame interview with The UCSD Guardian.
The Tritons did just that, securing a 105-73 victory at LionTree Arena. UCSD took the lead on a corner triple from junior guard Aidan Burke after one minute — an advantage it would keep until the final whistle.
A strong offensive performance laid the foundation for UCSD’s victory as the Tritons ran up the score on a helpless La Verne defense. Success on the glass played a key role for the Tritons — unexpected from a team that ranked in the bottom 20% of Division I in offensive rebounding last year. Going up against an undersized La Verne team without a player taller than 6-foot-6, UCSD grabbed 18 offensive boards to the Leopards’ 6.
“Our offensive rebounding gave us some really good second-chance opportunities,” head coach Clint Allard said to The Guardian. “Every game is going to have a little bit of a different advantage, and we have to keep searching for those advantages and find that edge for us to have success.”
At the heart of the offensive effort was Beath, who arrived from Lynn via the transfer portal this offseason. The 6-foot-8 Malibu local averaged 17.8 points per game at the Division-II level and showed no issue leveling up in his first game as a Triton.
Need a highlight reel play to get the crowd riled up? Beath delivered with two emphatic jams only a minute apart as the first half wound down.
Need a one-man fast break? Beath did that midway through the second half, starting a play with a steal on one end and finishing with a Euro step to the rim so smooth you would be forgiven for thinking he came from across the Atlantic.
Need a quick three? Beath did that too, converting one of his two 3-point attempts. Beath finished his competitive Triton debut with 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting.
“I really liked his aggression,” Allard said. “He took to heart that we didn’t come out in the last one with the pace and intensity that we needed. I thought he played hard the entire time; I could count on him for that.”
While the offense found its rhythm, the defense was a weak spot. The Tritons struggled to contain the Leopards, who were able to put up 73 points on UCSD — La Verne’s best offensive showing in its past three matchups against the Tritons. Perimeter defense remained UCSD’s Achilles’ heel, as La Verne found open looks from beyond the arc.
“We were a bit timid on defense,” Beath said. “One of our staples is us being the aggressors on defense. It’s just [about] being aggressive on the ball as we go forward.”
Late in the game, freshman guard Hudson Mayes — playing in his first collegiate game — went on a solo 8-0 run. With six minutes left, Mayes converted an and-one layup. On the next possession, sophomore guard Ryder Elisaldez rifled it to Mayes in the paint, who finished a dunk through contact. Seconds later, Mayes picked off a pass on one end and slammed it home with the right hand on the other, increasing UCSD’s lead to 24.
“He can be a real catalyst,” Allard said. “He was doing what we needed in this group, and he was turning defense into offense.”
The Tritons rode this momentum to the finish line, ending the night with a 105-73 victory.
UCSD will return to action at home against Houston Christian on Friday, Nov. 8, for its homecoming game.
