UCSD Basketball Action Resumes After Holiday Break

Following a nine-day layoff over the holidays, the undefeated women’s basketball team returns to the court this week when San Francisco State and Cal Poly Pomona come to town for a pair of California Collegiate Athletic Association matchups. The Tritons host the Gators on Thursday before yaking on the unbeaten Broncos on Friday. Both contests will tip off at 5:30 p.m. at RIMAC Arena on campus. 

San Francisco State enters Thursday’s contest with an overall record of 2-7 and a 1-2 mark in CCAA play. Cal Poly Pomona begins the week with a perfect overall record of 7-0 and a 3-0 tally in conference play. The Broncos’ last game was on Dec. 15, an 82-69 triumph over defending NAIA champion Azusa Pacific in Pomona.

UCSD enters Thursday’s clash sporting a flawless 10-0 overall record and a 4-0 mark in CCAA play after a 78-68 victory at Cal State San Bernardino in its last game on Dec. 19. UCSD has started the season 10-0 for the second time in three years, also accomplishing the feat in 2009-10. Head coach Charity Elliott’s squad won its first 14 games that year, suffering its first defeat on Jan. 21 at Humboldt State. The Tritons are 3-0 at home so far this season.  

UCSD is ranked No. 4 in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Coaches Poll released on Dec. 13. The Tritons, who began the season at No. 13, moved up one spot after coming in at No. 5 for two straight weeks. UCSD hasn’t been ranked this high since December of the 2007-08 campaign (Elliott’s first season), when the squad earned a No. 3 ranking with a record of 8-0. The Tritons were ranked as high as No. 11 nationally in 2010-11.  

Senior point guard Chelsea Carlisle is off to a brilliant start, averaging 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 3.0 steals through UCSD’s first 10 games. She is shooting 55 percent (67-123) from the field and has hit 39 percent (17-43) of her three-point tries. A two-time All-American, Carlisle currently leads the team in scoring, assists, steals, field goals made, three-pointers made and minutes per game. She has scored in double figures in every game this seasons.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

After taking nine days off from competition over the holidays, the UC San Diego men’s basketball team returns to action when San Francisco State and undefeated Cal Poly Poly invade RIMAC Arena. The Tritons will host the Gators on Thursday before welcoming the Broncos on Friday. Both contests will follow the women’s games, with tip-off slated for approximately 7:30 p.m. The SFSU and CPP clashes will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio 1700 in San Diego with Craig Elsten calling the action and Jack Cronin handling the color commentary.  

UCSD is 4-5 overall and 0-4 in CCAA play after dropping a 71-63 decision at Cal State San Bernardino in its last game on Dec. 19. UCSD, which currently finds itself at the bottom of the CCAA standings, will look to capture its first league win against SFSU, the only other team without a victory in conference play so far this season. UCSD coach Chris Carlson’s squad has gone 1-1 in two home games so far in 2011-12.

San Francisco State enters Thursday’s game with an overall record of 2-7 and an 0-3 mark in CCAA play. Cal Poly Pomona begins the week with a flawless overall record of 6-0 and a 3-0 tally in conference play.

The Tritons have averaged 85.2 points in their four wins this season and just 57.6 in their five losses. UCSD has lost 10 of its last 11 CCAA games dating back to last season.

—Compiled from press releases issued by the UCSD sports information office.