UC San Diego at Cal State Bakersfield
When: 6:30 p.m., Thursday
Where: Icardo Center, Bakersfield
TV/Streaming: ESPN+
Records: UC San Diego 20-4, 10-2 Big West; Cal State Bakersfield 10-15, 4-9.
Series history: Bakersfield leads 20-5 overall and is 5-4 since UCSD moved to Division I. The Tritons won 81-60 on Dec. 7 at LionTree Arena.
Tritons update: They have won five straight, including Saturday’s massive 18-point road win over Big West co-leader UC Irvine, are ranked No. 4 in the latest Mid-Major Top 25 Poll, have conference-best NCAA NET ranking of 49 and a conference-high Kenpom ranking of 49. Senior wing Anawaniwa Tait-Jones was named Big West Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks after averaging 25 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists while going 16 for 19 from the free throw line in wins over third-place UC Riverside and first-place UC Irvine. Over the last six games, Tait-Jones is averaging 25.8 points per game on 55% shooting from the field and is shooting 84.4% from the free throw line. He leads the nation in free throw attempts (209) and free throws made (169). In the Dec. 7 win over Bakersfield, junior forward Nordin Kapic made 7 of 8 3-point attempts and scored a season-high 25 points. Coach Eric Olen has gone with the starting lineup of Tait-Jones, Kapic, Hayden Gray, Chris Howell and Tyler McGhie for every game. Irvine tips off at 8 p.m. (ESPNU) at home against UC Santa Barbara (16-8, 8-5).
Roadrunners update: They have lost five straight and are in danger of dropping out of the top eight in the conference standings and missing the postseason tournament. Junior guard Jemel Jones leads the way. averaging 17.8 points per game on 47.3% shooting. They have the second-best team 3-point shooting percentage (39.3%).
Next up: 4 p.m., Saturday, vs. UC Davis (14-10, 8-5) at LionTree Arena. Streaming: ESPN+.
— IVAN CARTER
