Friday, March 11, 2016
by Evan O'Kelly

MONMOUTH, Ore. – In a remarkably efficient performance, Drew Dyer made 7 of 11 shots for 22 points and added a team-high eight rebounds as the University of California San Diego pushed past California State University Chico 76-64 on Friday afternoon in the opening round of the NCAA Division II West Region Men’s Basketball Championships at the New P.E. Building on the campus of Western Oregon University.

Adam Klie complemented Dyer’s scoring with 20 points of his own, and Chris Hansen was also in double figures with 10 points as UCSD improved to 23-7 on the season. The Tritons avenged a 77-71 loss at home against the Wildcats on Feb. 12, and posted the third-highest point total by a Chico State opponent this season.

UCSD will challenge Cal Baptist on Saturday, in a rematch of a Nov. 24, 2015 meeting that was won by the Tritons 76-67.

The Tritons shot an outstanding 57.8 percent overall from the field (26-for-45), making up for 12 turnovers and being out-rebounded by the Wildcats 31-30. Chico State shot 43.6 percent from the field (24-for-55), but made just 2 of 12 3-pointers and 13 of 23 foul shots in the loss.

Dyer scored his team’s first four points of the game, and a jumper by the senior seven minutes in pushed UCSD ahead 16-7 early. The Tritons kept command through the middle of the first half, with their lead peaking at 37-22 with three minutes before the break.

Three different Wildcats scored to end the first half, and UCSD missed four shots in the final three minutes and led 37-27 at the half.

The Wildcats got the deficit down to seven points with as little as 3:11 to play, after a jumper by Tanner Giddings. Dyer drained a pair of free throws on the other end however, and the ‘Cats maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the way.

CCAA Player of the Year Robert Duncan led the Wildcats with 19 points, and added seven rebounds and a team-high three assists. Giddings finished with 13 points and Chris Magalotti added a team-best nine rebounds in the final career game of Chico’s two seniors.

The Wildcats finished the year 22-7 overall.

TOURNEY TALK: This is UCSD’s first NCAA appearance since 2007-08 and just the team’s second since transitioning from the NAIA…the victory marked the Tritons’ first-ever NCAA tournament win, as the team was previously 0-1…the Wildcats are two years removed from an NCAA West Region Championship (2014), and made their 13th regional appearance overall…it was Chico State’s fifth straight tournament berth.

FRIDAY TOURNEY SCHEDULE

FINAL: Game 1 – No. 3 Cal Baptist 70, No. 6 Cal Poly Pomona 63 | Box Score

FINAL: Game 2 – No. 2 UC San Diego 76, No. 7 Chico State 64 | Box Score

5 PM: Game 3 – No. 5 Azusa Pacific vs. No. 4 Seattle Pacific

7:30 PM: Game 4 – No. 8 Humboldt State vs. No. 1 Western Oregon

 *All times Pacific