UC San Diego at USD
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Jenny Craig Pavilion
On the air: Streamed on ESPNU
Records: UC San Diego is 10-2 overall and 2-0 in Big West Conference play; USD is 3-8.
Series history: USD is 6-1 all-time against UC San Diego, but the Tritons won the last time the two teams played. UCSD outlasted the Toreros 69-63 last December at LionTree Arena. Saturday’s game is the nightcap of a “Winter Wonderland” doubleheader at the J. USD’s women will play Gonzaga at 2 p.m. The first 200 fans at both games will get a free knit cap; fans can sip hot chocolate and take pictures with Santa Claus.
Toreros update: Since beating Idaho and Marian University over a three-day span last month, USD has lost four games in a row by an average of 14.5 points. Last Saturday’s loss at Fresno State marked a blown opportunity for an early-season tentpole victory. The Toreros shot just 5 of 21 from 3-point range and committed 17 turnovers to Fresno’s 12 in a 73-65 loss. USD led by five at halftime. The Toreros are led by San Diego City College transfer Kjay Bradley, who averages a team-high 16.1 points per game; no other player averages more than 8.5. A high-volume shooter at guard, Bradley has attempted 147 shots — 67 more Santiago Trouet, who is second with 80 attempts. Steven Jamerson III is averaging 8.5 points per game this season, second-most on the team; his 7.3 rebounds are tied for the team lead. The Toreros need to start stacking wins — and winning big — to climb out of Kenpom.com purgatory. The metrics-based website ranks USD 307th out of the nation’s 364 Division I teams. The Toreros’ adjusted offensive efficiency of 95.4 ranks 354th nationally.
Tritons update: The timing of Saturday’s game couldn’t be better for the Tritons, who are coming off a 75-73 upset victory over Utah State in Logan earlier this week. The win, arguably the biggest in program history since UCSD began the transition to Division I, put the Tritons on track for an NCAA Tournament spot. They’re ranked 72nd nationally by Kenpom.com and 57th in NET, the ratings system used by the tournament’s selection committee. Tyler McGhie and Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones lead the Tritons with 17.3 points per game apiece. McGhie scored 26 points in 34 minutes against Utah State, hitting 6 of 14 3-point attempts on a night when the Tritons shot an uncharacteristically low 29.6% from deep. Tait-Jones scored 20 against Utah State as UCSD overcame a seven-point halftime deficit. McGhie has a history of success against USD, too: He scored 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds in last year’s win at home. The Tritons live to force turnovers: They rank third nationally with a turnover margin of 7.3; senior point guard Hayden Gray’s 44 total steals and 3.67 steals were game are most in the country.
Next up: UC San DIego will host Division III Occidental on Dec. 28. Both teams played San Diego State already this season at Viejas Arena, with the Tritons losing by five points and Oxy losing by 51. USD will take on Grand Canyon in the Dec. 28 West Coast Hoops Showdown at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. The game is part of a doubleheader that includes a game between UCLA and Gonzaga.
— RYAN FINLEY
