UCSD Turns Back CSUN, 82-67

Saturday, January 31

La Jolla, CA

4:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

6-14,2-9Big West

UC San Diego

15-6,10-1Big West

CSUN

UC San Diego

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

UCSD Turns Back CSUN, 82-67

1/31/2026 6:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif --- The CSUN women's basketball team (6-14, 2-9 Big West) was defeated by the UC San Diego Tritons (15-6, 10-1 Big West), 82-67 at LionTree Arena Saturday afternoon. Erika Aspajo led the Matadors with 20 points. Alondra Lizama chipped in 14 as well.

HOW IT HAPPENED
UCSD came out the gates strong with an 8-2 run as four different players scored from the Tritons. However, CSUN did not waver. The Matadors responded with a small 5-0 run capped off by a Morgan Edwards layup with a feed from Aspajo at the six-minute mark. UCSD then answered back with an 11-3 run with more balanced scoring throughout its offense. The Tritons ended the first quarter with a 24-12 lead over the Matadors.

In the second quarter, the CSUN offense was firing on all cylinders. Aspajo got things going with a driving layup at the 8:44 mark to cut the lead to 10. Both teams then traded buckets back and forth with no team getting a real edge. Down 11 with 6:47 remaining in the half, CSUN went on a 9-2 run with three made field goals and a shot from distance. CSUN cut the lead to six with 5:12 on the clock.

UCSD scored the next four points before Aspajo laced a three-pointer as she was now double-digits in scoring with 11. Rosa Smith from the Tritons countered with a three of her own to push the lead back to 10 with 3:21 on the clock as the scoreboard now read 40-30. CSUN ended the half on a 6-2 run thanks to four points from Nadia Bernard. UCSD entered the intermission with a six point lead at 42-36. The Matadors outscored the Tritons though 24-18 in the quarter.

SECOND HALF
Both teams split the first 20 points scored in the quarter as Rita Nazario drained two shots from distance in the process, including one at the 5:47 mark to keep the lead at six. CSUN then went on an 8-2 run to tie the game at 54 apiece with 1:53 remaining in the third. Aspajo had six out of the eight points in the run. UCSD ended the quarter on a mini 5-0 run, as the Tritons carried a five point lead at 59-54 going into the final 12 minutes.

In the fourth quarter, the Tritons started to pull away. UCSD began the quarter on an 18-0 run, with 12 points coming from Erin Condron and Dymonique Maxie. Aspajo ended the run with a long distance trey to cut the lead to 20 at 77-57. After a UCSD layup, CSUN went on a mini 5-0 to try and claw back, capped off by a Morgan Edwards three pointer with 1:47 left in the game. Time was not on the Matadors side as the lead put up in the early going of the quarter proved to be the difference.

NOTES OF THE GAME

For the second time in three games, Aspajo scored 20 points, leading the team both times.
Lizama has scored in double-figures in back-to-back games.
CSUN was 13-14 from the free-throw line.
CSUN outscored UCSD in the second (24-18) and third (18-17) quarters.
CSUN outrebounded UCSD, 32-31
CSUN shot 50 percent 8/16 from behind the arc.
Nazario also played a team-high 33 minutes.

UP NEXT
CSUN returns home for a game against Cal Poly, Thursday, February 5 at Premier America Credit Union Arena with tip-off slated for 6:00 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Jill Painter-Lopez on the call.

#GoMatadors