SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — The UC San Diego Tritons used a dominant first-half performance and a stifling defensive effort to secure a decisive 80-64 victory over the Cal Poly Mustangs in a Big West Conference men’s basketball game Saturday night at RIMAC Arena.

A crowd of 3,331 watched the Tritons improve to 21-9 overall and solidify their position near the top of the conference standings. The Mustangs fell to 13-17.

The most critical phase of the game was its opening segment, where UC San Diego established a commanding lead that Cal Poly could never seriously threaten. The Tritons raced out to a 42-24 halftime advantage, shooting 50% from the field in the period while holding the Mustangs to just 24 points on 32% shooting. The 18-point cushion proved insurmountable, as Cal Poly never got closer than 14 points in the second half.

UC San Diego’s defense was the story, forcing 15 Cal Poly turnovers and converting them into 19 points. The Tritons also recorded 10 steals and three blocks, consistently disrupting the Mustangs’ offensive flow. Cal Poly managed only three assists against those 15 turnovers, highlighting their struggles against UC San Diego’s pressure.

Offensively, the Tritons shared the wealth, with five players scoring in double figures. Alex Chaikin led the way with 17 points, including three 3-pointers. Hudson Mayes added 15 points, while Leo Beath filled the stat sheet with 12 points, five assists, two blocks and two steals. Jaden Vance contributed 10 points, and Emanuel Prospere came off the bench to score 12 points in just 14 minutes of action.

Cal Poly was led by guard Hamad Mousa, who scored a game-high 19 points. Cayden Ward added 12 points for the Mustangs, who shot just 37.9% from the field for the game and 30.8% from beyond the arc.

The Tritons’ efficient offense, which scored 80 points on 76 possessions for an offensive rating of 105.8, contrasted sharply with Cal Poly’s 89.1 rating. UC San Diego also won the battle on the glass, outrebounding the Mustangs 42-33.

The victory avenged a 67-65 loss to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo on Jan. 1. Since that defeat, UC San Diego has won 10 of its last 14 games. Cal Poly, which entered the contest on a three-game winning streak, saw that run snapped decisively.

UC San Diego will look to carry the momentum into the final week of the regular season with road games at Cal State Fullerton and UC Santa Barbara. Cal Poly returns home to host UC Irvine and Cal State Bakersfield in its final two contests.