UC San Diego stuns first-place UC Irvine 71-69, tightening Big West race with four games left
A late basket in Irvine flips a close game
UC San Diego men’s basketball earned a 71-69 road win over first-place UC Irvine on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, at the Bren Events Center, handing the Anteaters a narrow defeat in a matchup with immediate implications for the Big West standings.
Freshman Hudson Mayes scored the go-ahead basket in the final seconds and finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. UC San Diego improved to 19-9 overall and 9-7 in conference play. UC Irvine fell to 18-10 overall and 11-5 in the Big West.
How the game unfolded
UC San Diego built an early cushion by converting four of its first six three-point attempts and opened a 17-8 lead. The Tritons’ best first-half stretch extended the margin to 24-8 before UC Irvine responded with a 10-0 run that cut into the deficit. UC San Diego still led 36-29 at halftime.
UC Irvine briefly moved ahead early in the second half, but the teams traded leads down the stretch. With under four minutes to play, UC San Diego’s Alex Chaikin hit a three-pointer to push the Tritons in front 65-58. UC Irvine closed late, taking a one-point lead on a Jurian Dixon three-pointer, before Mayes answered with a layup to restore the advantage and then converted again in the final seconds to seal the two-point win.
Key contributors and team context
Hudson Mayes: 17 points, eight rebounds for UC San Diego.
Alex Chaikin: 15 points, including three made three-pointers.
Tom Beattie: 11 points for UC San Diego.
Jaden Vance: 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks.
Jurian Dixon: 22 points to lead UC Irvine; Andre Henry added 15.
Kyle Evans: 12 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks for UC Irvine.
UC San Diego’s victory also ensured the Tritons a berth in the Big West Championship tournament in Henderson, Nevada. The win marked the program’s 100th as a Division I member.
What it means for the Big West race
With the loss, UC Irvine’s lead at the top tightened. The Anteaters moved into a three-way tie for first place with Hawai’i and CSUN, with four games remaining in the regular season.
Next on the schedule
UC San Diego returns home for a Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026 matchup against Cal State Bakersfield at LionTree Arena, scheduled for 7 p.m. PT.
Final score: UC San Diego 71, UC Irvine 69 (Halftime: UC San Diego 36, UC Irvine 29).