Four years ago the UC San Diego Tritons joined the Big West after having a ton of success at the Division 2 level. It took a while, but the Tritons were finally able to get their footing in Division 1, once they did, they arrived with a vengeance. UC San Diego completed the sweep in the Big West. They won the regular season title and then won the Big West conference tournament. The Tritons claimed the Big West automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
It is the first appearance for UC San Diego in the NCAA Tournament, and it likely won't be the last. The Tritons have a bubbling dynasty in the Big West and we may be seeing their name a lot over the next couple of seasons. UC San Diego entered the tournament with a 30-4 record and finished 18-2 in the conference. The Tritons would have likely gotten into the tournament as an at large, but they eliminated that, winning the league title.
The Tritons earned a 12 seed and are underseeded. They are much better than a 12 seed and are likely going to win their first-round game. UC San Diego will be a trendy team to pull off an upset and will be picked in a lot of bracket pools. Here are some reasons why they will win a game in the NCAA Tournament.
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones
Who says that former Rugby players can’t play basketball? Tait-Jones is a former Rugby player from New Zealand, and, just like his unique name, he is a unique basketball player. The forward is a very physical player who is a fantastic finisher around the rim and is a physical player who anchors the defense. The forward doesn’t shoot the ball that well from deep but can make threes that always come at the clutch times in a game. Tait-Jones shoots 62% from inside the arc and gets to the free throw line a ton. If you want to beat the Tritons, teams have to figure out a way to take their star out of the game. Easier said than done, no one else has figured out how to do it consistently yet. Why? The forward also leads the team in assists and rebounds to go along with his 20 points per game. Tait-Jones does everything for the Tritons so even if he doesn't score he is going to affect the game.
Turnovers
UC San Diego might have the biggest discrepancy in turnovers of any team in the country. On the offensive side of the ball, the Tritons turn it over less than 9 times per game. It doesn’t hurt that coach Eric Olen has five ball handlers on the floor at all times. Then there is the defensive end of the floor, where the Tritons force 16 turnovers a game. That is the 7th most in the country. Over half of those turnovers are steals that lead to run-outs or easy baskets in transition. The Tritons never let up on the defensive end, and if they play a high turnover team, there is a chance that the Tritons can run them out of the gym. UC San Diego thrives on turnovers, and when they get a lot, they win.
Pressure Defense
This could go with turnovers but the defense for the Tritons is about so much more than that. UC San Diego has one of the best defenses in the country, and when they don’t get a turnover, they make it impossible to score. Teams are shooting under 40% from the floor and under 45% from inside the three-point arc. They are extremely disciplined on that end and never foul. Teams only shoot 15 free throws a game on them. Heading into their first-round matchup, the Tritons give up just over 61 points per game on the defensive end. Everything gets contested, the Tritons are physical without fouling, and their press is one of the best presses I have seen in awhile. The defense travels, and it is a huge reason that UC San Diego is 30-4 and has the longest winning streak in the country at 15 games.
I know most of you have not heard about the Tritons and don’t trust the Big West but they won 30 games. There are not many teams out there who can say that. The Tritons are loaded and coach Olen is one of the best coaches in the country.