Game of the Week: Men’s basketball vs Cal Poly

Alan Zhang, Sports Co-Editor • Mar 9, 2026

Photo by Roxana Anayat/ UCSD Guardian

It’s that time of year again. Do you feel the madness?

As the calendar flips from February to March, we enter the most sacred of months for college basketball players, coaches, and fans alike. To begin the festivities, 365 teams are whittled down to the field of 68 that will take part in college basketball’s premier tournament. From Wednesday to Saturday this week in Henderson, Nevada, the Big West will determine its representatives to the men’s and women’s NCAA tournament.

This edition of UC San Diego men’s basketball (22-10, 12-8 Big West) will have a tougher run ahead than its top-seeded predecessor. Securing the No. 5 seed on the last day of the regular season, the Tritons will have to win four games in four days if they want to put their dancing shoes on for the second straight year. The Tritons struggled to begin conference play and posted a losing record in their first 13 Big West games. However, they caught fire at the right time, winning six of their final seven conference matches to clinch fifth place in the conference.

One of those six wins came against No. 8-seeded Cal Poly (14-18, 10-10 Big West), who the Tritons will face again on Wednesday in the first game of their gauntlet. Powered by a high-octane offense that ranks first in the country in tempo, the Mustangs will look to score quickly and often to try to pull off the upset.

The season is on the line for both of these teams. It’s win big or go home on the outskirts of Sin City.

About the Contributors

Alan Zhang, Sports Co-Editor

“I don’t want to be on the same axis as Alan” – Adalia Luo, Editor-in-Chief “I don’t know if Alan has game but he certainly has enthusiasm” – Sonia McSwain, Creative & Projects Editor “I think that Alan knows what the girls want” – Abigail Larsen, Associate Copy Editor

Roxana Anayat, Art Editor

part-time illustrator, full-time overthinker

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