The UC San Diego women’s basketball team defeated Cal State Fullerton 77-69 at LionTree Arena Thursday night to remain tied for the Big West Conference lead going into Saturday’s final game of the regular season.
Forward Eric Condron led the Tritons with 23 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Guard Makayla Rose scored 13 points with five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Guard Sabrina Ma had 12 points and four rebounds. Freshman guard Lev Feiman scored 10 points off the bench and Dymonique Maxie finished with 10 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals. The Tritons connected on 50.9% of their 55 field goal attempts.
The Tritons improved to 21-8 overall with their third straight win. UCSD and UC Irvine are tied atop the Big West standings with identical 15-3 records. UCSD outscored Fullerton (16-13, 12-7) 20-12 in the first quarter and never looked back.
USD wins at WCC Tournament
Sophomore forward Eva Ruse put the University of San Diego ahead with a pair of free throws with 1:31 to play Thursday afternoon and sophomore guard Lilly Amor blocked a shot, grabbed the rebound and sank two free throws with 15 seconds to play as the Toreros defeated 10th-seeded Saint Mary’s 66-62 in the opening round of the West Coast Conference Tournament in Las Vegas.
Hallie Rhodes led USD (11-21) with 22 points and nine rebounds. Guard Kylie Ray had 19 points and 10 rebounds. Ruse finished with eight points and five rebounds.
The 11th-seeded Toreros will play seventh-seeded San Francisco (16-13) Friday in the second round at 2:30 p.m. at the Orleans Casino.
CSUSM ousted
Third-seeded Cal Poly Humboldt (16-13) rallied in the second half to defeat the Cal State San Marcos men 62-52 in the first round of the NCAA Division II California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament in Pomona, ending the Cougars’ season at 14-14.
Micah Boone led CSUSM with 19 points. Chris Carillo (La Jolla Country Day) scored 18 points and Keavie Love (Oceanside High School, San Diego City College) scored 10.
PLNU hosts
Both the Point Loma Nazarene men’s and women’s basketball teams will host the semifinals of the NCAA Division II PacWest Conference Tournament on Friday.
The regular-season champion and No. 1 seed Sea Lions men (23-5), who are ranked No. 22 in the nation, will play fourth-seeded Hawaii Pacific (17-10) Friday at 2:45 p.m.
PLNU has six scorers in double figures led by forward Andrew Nagy (15.4 points, 5.9 rebounds a game) and including guard Jaden Matingou (St. Augustine High School, 12.2 points), forward Andrew Hommes (11.9 points, 5.5 rebounds), forward James Nobles (11.0 points, 4.2 rebounds), guard Tyce Paulson (10.6 points) and guard Caden Harris (10.2 points).
The PLNU women (21-7) are seeded second in the tournament and will play third-seeded Azusa Pacific (22-89) Friday at 5 p.m.
Center Eiley Tippins leads PLNU in scoring, averaging 13.9 points plus 5.9 rebounds a game. Sophomore 6-3 forward Ruby Vlahov is averaging 12.0 points and 6.1 rebounds a game. Guard Izzy Navarro (Cathedral Catholic High School) is averaging 11.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 4.25 steals a game. Junior guard Hannah Golan is 11.3 points and a team-leading 7.9 rebounds a game.