The UC San Diego Tritons men's basketball team is the men's college basketball program that represents the University of California, San Diego. The Tritons compete in NCAA Division I as a member of the Big West Conference (BWC). The team plays its home games at LionTree Arena. They made their first appearance in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in 2025, their first eligible year after transitioning from NCAA Division II.
History At the end of the 2007–08 season, they won the CCAA tournament and advanced to the first round of the NCAA West Regionals. After a relatively dry spell, the team has seen most of its success in recent years under Eric Olen. In 2015–16, they were the NCAA West Region runners-up. The 2016–17 season was the first in which they won the CCAA regular-season title; they also won the CCAA Tournament and were again NCAA West Region runners-up. The team won the CCAA Tournament again in 2017–18, but dropped in the NCAA West Regional quarterfinals. The Tritons have the most CCAA Tournament titles of any current or former CCAA member school, with five.
Triton basketball transitioned to NCAA Division I and the Big West Conference in 2020. They became eligible to participate in March Madness in 2025 following a four-year transition period. In that year, UC San Diego won the Big West Conference tournament to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history.
Postseason results NCAA Division I tournament results The Tritons appeared in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament one time. They have a record of 0–1. 2025 #12 First Round #5 Michigan L 65–68
NCAA Division II tournament results The Tritons appeared in the NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament five times. They have a record of 5–5. 2008 First Round Alaska Anchorage L 60–80 2016 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen Chico StateCal BaptistWestern Oregon W 76–64W 71–69L 55–60 2017 First Round Dixie StateCalifornia BaptistChico State W 94–68W 84–80L 86–94 2018 First Round California Baptist L 67–81 2019 First RoundSecond Round Cal Poly PomonaPoint Loma Nazarene W 61–50L 50–73 2020 First Round Western Washington Cancelled
NCAA Division III tournament results UC San Diego appeared in the NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament four times. They had a record of 2–4. 1990 Second Round Nebraska Wesleyan L 75–77 1991 Second RoundSectional Semifinal Claremont-Mudd-ScrippsOtterbein W 76–72L 95–108 1992 Second Round Cal Lutheran L 70–88 1994 First RoundSecond Round Pomona-PitzerCal Lutheran W 67–66L 81–95
CBI results The Tritons have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) once in 2024. Their combined record is 0–1.
2024 First Round Chicago State L 75–77
Yearly records
Games against Big West opponents during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 season are considered non-conference games by the Big West Conference due to DI Reclassification. UC San Diego was not eligible for conference or NCAA postseason events until the 2024-25 season due to DI reclassification restrictions.
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