UCSD upset in first round of CBI, finishes final season of Division I transition with 21-12 record

UCSD’s first-ever trip to a Division I postseason tournament featured the heartbreak that is all too often a hallmark of March.

Wesley Cardet Jr. scored 30 points to lead 15th-seeded Chicago State to a 77-75 victory over No. 2 seed UC San Diego on Saturday in the first round of the CBI Tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Cardet shot 11 for 23 (2 for 10 from 3-point range) and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line for the Cougars (13-18). Jahsean Corbett scored 22 points on 8-for-12 shooting with four 3-pointers, adding nine rebounds. Noble Crawford scored 13.

Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones and Tyler McGhie each scored 17 to lead the Tritons (21-12). Tait-Jones also had six rebounds. Bryce Pope finished with 16 points and two steals.

UCSD finishes its season 21-12. The Tritons were ineligible to compete in the Big West or NCAA tournaments during their final season of transition to Division I, but received a bid to the CBI.

Saturday’s game featured 10 ties and 15 lead changes. UCSD led by four points just 3 1/2 minutes into the game, but was unable to pull decisively ahead. Chicago State got 26 points from the combination of Cardet and Jahseasn Corbett in the first half, and the Cougars and Tritons entered the break tied at 38.

Chicago State came out hot in the second half, outscoring UCSD 15-6 in the first four-plus minutes. UCSD battled back, holding Chicago State scoreless for more than 5 minutes. With 8:52 remaining, Francis Nwaokorie nailed a free throw to tie the game at 55. Emmanuel Tshimanga’s bucket a minute later made it 57-55 in favor of UCSD.

Chicago State got a pair of 3-pointers from Corbett to re-take the lead late. Pope attempted a 3-pointer at the buzzer that would’ve given the Tritons the win, but it fell short.

Chicago State, an independent, advances to play the winner of Sunday’s first-round matchup between No. 7 seed Fairfield and 10th-seeded Little Rock in Monday’s quarterfinals.

Includes information from the Associated Press.