LA JOLLA–On a night when the likely CCAA player of the year was having trouble with her shot, the UCSD Tritons’ “junkyard dog” came through to clean up the mess. Tiffany Hunter scored a career-high 23 points and added 13 rebounds as the 10th ranked Tritons (17-1, 11-1 CCAA) shut down Cal State San Bernadino 58-41 in front of 2,020 on Spirit Night at RIMAC Arena. The attendance was a new school record for a womens’ basketball game.
“Tiffany was everywhere,” said UCSD head coach Charity Elliott after the game, “I don’t know how she gets some of those rebounds but she never quits.”
Hunter’s rebounding tenacity, which included 6 offensive boards and 10 points on put-backs, allowed UCSD to win on a night when leading scorer Chelsea Carlisle was held to 8 points on 4-of-13 shooting.
Read more and watch a video interview with Charity Elliott after the jump:
But with the support of a record crowd behind them, the Tritons did their best work on defense, particularly in the second half. The Coyotes were held to 23% field goal shooting after halftime (6-for-26), and were out-rebounded 46-30 for the game.
Charity Smith turned in a strong performance off the bench for UCSD with seven points and three rebounds, freshman Emily Osga (Patrick Henry High) pulled down eight boards in 15 minutes off the bench, and Erin Noonan had six points and three assists to help the Tritons’ cause.
The UCSD women are one of the untold stories in San Diego sports so far this year, creeping under the radar despite a 17-1 record and a #10 national ranking in Division II. Playing in front of by far their biggest crowd of the season, the Tritons were inspired to an even bigger effort.
“The energy in this place was awesome,” said Elliott, “and once we turned it up defensively they got into it even more. It was a great night of basketball, and a lot of fun.”
Watch a postgame interview with Charity Elliott:
