Regaining its footing late in the second half, UC San Diego men’s basketball (15-5, 5-3 Big West) edged past UC Davis (11-8, 4-4 Big West) to defeat the Aggies at University Credit Union Center on Thursday, Jan. 22. Despite a disheartening first-half performance, UCSD’s 80-74 Big West win gives the Tritons a much-needed boost ahead of the Blue and Gold Rivalry game against UC Irvine on Saturday, Jan. 24.
The first half was an uphill battle for both sides; UCSD led 10-6 early on, then floundered for a three-minute stretch where neither team could make a shot. During the drought, the Tritons made only 1 of 6 field-goal attempts. The Aggies struggled as well, going 1 for 12 in their worst shooting stretch of the match.
Freshman guard Hudson Mayes snapped the slump with a free throw to put UCSD up 11-6. But UCD remained close behind, overtaking the Tritons with three minutes left in the half thanks to a triple from Aggie sophomore forward Isaiah Chappell. UCSD’s difficulty controlling turnovers and making threes allowed UCD to take a 30-25 lead by the end of the first half.
“I do think part of our struggle was the focus on results and the pressure to get wins,” head coach Clint Allard said in a postgame interview with The UCSD Guardian. “In the first half, we just played on our heels a little bit. If we play a little more downhill and aggressive against pressure, the shots will come.”
UCSD stayed on the Aggies’ heels for most of the second half until an Aggie guard sunk a triple with three minutes left in the frame to put the Tritons up 66-62. UCSD maintained the narrow lead as time ran out.
Down 77-74 with 16 seconds left on the clock, UCD called a timeout. The Tritons had the ball, but it was a one-possession game — much like UCSD’s unexpected losses to San Diego and Cal Poly earlier this season.
This time, though, UCSD’s dominant 80% free-throw success rate in the second half and a missed Aggie three quelled hope for a last-minute Davis surge. The Tritons outscored UCD 55-44 in the second half to pull off the late comeback.
“We just need to compete all game and start to close out games,” Mayes said to the Guardian. “A lot of the times, we play a good basketball game, and then, in the fourth quarter, in the last couple of seconds, it all falls apart. I think we did that today — stayed composed, minus a couple mistakes on my end as well. But I think we definitely did what we’ve been harping on this whole week.”
Both Chaikin and Mayes scored 19 points apiece on Thursday night to help UCSD find its composure in the second half. Chaikin went 5 for 10 from beyond the arc while Mayes made 7 of his 11 field-goal attempts and racked up a season-high 12 rebounds.
“He’s just very polished,” Allard said about Mayes. “He can guard, and he can rebound, and he knows his strengths. He’s been knocking down his free throws. The more reps he gets through the regular season, the more he’s going to be prepared at the end of the season, and he’ll be a guy we’re continuing to count on.”
This 80-74 victory over the Aggies — a team that narrowly defeated conference-leading UCI 75-72 on Jan. 17 — was a crucial test for the Tritons ahead of their Saturday match against the Anteaters. The Blue and Gold Rivalry game, expected to draw a sizable crowd at LionTree Arena, will give UCSD a chance to take down another Big West title contender.
“It’s a big game,” Mayes said. “It’s going to be packed, but I’m excited. My nerves are just from excitement. The minute that ball tips off, I’m ready to go. It’s another opportunity to take another home game. We’ve been giving away home games during the league, but I think we could do it if we just stick to what we’re doing and competing.”
