Erik Jepsen/Guardian
MEN’S BASKETBALL — In their best defensive effort of the season, the Triton basketball players drove home a 56-48 victory over Cal State Stanislaus on Feb. 12. Sadly, it was followed by a 58-42 loss to Chico State on Feb. 13.
In the first game, the UCSD defense held the Warriors to just 30-percent shooting and 48 points — both season lows for a Triton opponent — and allowed only 10 points by the Stanislaus starters.
“Any time you can hold a team to 40-percent field-goal percentage or less, it gives you a good chance,” head coach Chris Carlson said.
The victory against the Warriors was only the second time this season UCSD posted back-to-back wins. It was also only the second road victory for the Tritons.
Hanging onto a two-point 45-43 lead with four-and-a-half minutes left, the Tritons found their shooting range, closing the game on an 11-5 run. Senior guard Jordan Lawley was clutch down the stretch, scoring the final four points of the game. Lawley tallied his third double-double of the season with 24 points and 10 rebounds.
The UCSD offense shot 45 percent from the field — just enough to top Stanislaus.
With two straight wins under their belt, the Triton men took on Chico. Tied with the Wildcats at halftime, Chico State came out of the break with an offensive firestorm, starting the second half on a 10-0 run. The Tritons couldn’t recover from the deficit.
After a dominating defensive performance against Stanislaus, the Tritons couldn’t stop Chico’s Roderick Hawkins and Jon Baird, who combined for 25 points.
After splitting its two games on the road trip, Carlson said the team is drawing on the positives to tackle the rest of the season.
“Overall, it was a successful road trip,” Carlson said. “There is still a lot of basketball to be played this season.”
The Tritons have five games left in the regular season, including three this week. They will play against Cal State East Bay on Feb. 16 at RIMAC Arena, before leaving on another road trip to San Francisco State and Cal State Monterey Bay.
Readers can contact Tyler Nelson at tcnelson@ucsd.edu.
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