SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — In a tightly contested Big West Conference rematch that required clutch free throws and defensive stands in the final minute, UC San Diego held off a persistent UC Riverside squad for a 72-66 victory on Saturday night at RIMAC Arena.

The Tritons, who also won the first meeting by three points in January, improved to 18-9 overall and strengthened their position in the conference standings. The Highlanders fell to 8-19 despite a spirited effort that saw them erase multiple deficits.

The game’s most critical sequence unfolded in the final 36 seconds with UC San Diego clinging to a 67-66 lead. After UC Riverside’s Andrew Henderson cut the deficit to one with a layup, the Tritons’ Hudson Mayes was fouled and sent to the line. The junior guard from Los Angeles, who finished with a game-high 24 points, calmly sank both free throws to push the lead back to three.

On the ensuing possession, UC Riverside’s Marqui Worthy, who had 15 points and six assists, missed a potential game-tying three-pointer. UC San Diego’s Tom Beattie secured the defensive rebound, was immediately fouled, and made one of two free throws for a 70-66 edge with 27 seconds left. After another empty trip by the Highlanders, Mayes was fouled again and iced the game with two more makes from the charity stripe, part of a 6-for-6 performance at the line in the final minute.

The contest was a game of runs throughout. UC San Diego used its interior presence to build a 40-26 advantage in points in the paint, led by Bol Dengdit’s 16 points and a perfect 4-for-4, 11-point effort in just 11 minutes from 7-foot reserve Dimitrije Vukicevic of Belgrade, Serbia. The Tritons also capitalized on transition, outscoring Riverside 16-12 in fastbreak points.

UC Riverside countered with the scoring of Henderson, who tallied 21 points and two blocks, and the interior defense of 6-foot-10 center BJ Kolly from Everett, Washington, who contributed 15 points, four blocks, and several key rebounds. The Highlanders stayed within striking distance by committing only nine turnovers, which UC San Diego converted into just 11 points.

The first half set the tone for a back-and-forth battle. UC San Diego took an early 7-2 lead behind a dunk from Mayes and a three-pointer from Dengdit. Riverside responded with a 7-0 run, fueled by a Worthy three and inside baskets from Kolly, to take a brief lead. The teams traded blows for the remainder of the half, with the Tritons taking a 32-28 lead into the break after a Mayes tip-in at the buzzer.

The second half saw UC San Diego threaten to pull away on multiple occasions, building leads of seven and eight points. Each time, UC Riverside answered. A 7-0 Highlander run, capped by an Andrew Henderson three-pointer, cut a 51-43 deficit to a single point with just over nine minutes remaining. The Tritons responded with a 10-2 spurt, featuring three-pointers from Leo Beath and Hudson Mayes, to rebuild a 61-52 advantage with 7:57 to play.

Riverside made its final push in the last four minutes. Trailing 65-58, the Highlanders scored eight of the next ten points, with Henderson and Worthy leading the charge, to set up the tense final minute that culminated in Mayes’ decisive free throws.

Beyond Mayes’ scoring output, UC San Diego received balanced contributions. Dengdit added three assists to his 16 points, Beath had seven points and three assists, and Beattie filled the stat sheet with seven points, four assists, and several crucial late rebounds.

For UC Riverside, Osiris Grady of Las Vegas added seven points and steady play, but the Highlanders ultimately could not overcome UC San Diego’s efficiency inside and at the free-throw line down the stretch. The Tritons shot 40% from the floor for the game, while the Highlanders managed 38% shooting.

A crowd of 1,660 watched the Valentine’s Day conference clash. The win gives UC San Diego a regular-season sweep of the series and continues their push toward the top of the Big West. UC Riverside, despite the loss, showed continued competitiveness against one of the conference’s top teams, a theme in many of their recent outings.

UC San Diego next travels to face UC Irvine on Feb. 21. UC Riverside returns home to host Cal State Bakersfield on Feb. 19.