LA JOLLA—Facing a monumental challenge in its long-awaited season opener, head coach Greg Clink warned his Chico State men's basketball team it would take 40 great minutes of basketball to challenge 19^th-ranked UC San Diego, one of the nation's most explosive teams through its first five games of the season.
 
Instead, the Wildcats got approximately 32 minutes and 27 seconds of film they will mostly enjoy watching this week, and seven minutes and 33 seconds left that they would surely rather forget.
 
UC San Diego used a 24-4 run spanning the end of the first half and start of the second half to key an 84-68 win at the newly remodeled RIMAC Arena in La Jolla.
 
Picked in the preseason to win the California Collegiate Athletic Association this season, UC San Diego improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the CCAA.
 
Chico State was scheduled to tip off its season with the Mac Martin Invitational the day after the Camp Fire began. Those two games were canceled, and two attempts to play at Holy Names were thwarted by bad air quality. 

 
Thus, Saturday marked their season and CCAA opener.
 
Still, the Wildcats got off to a good start. The lead changed hands eight times over the first 16 minutes. And the Wildcats took their last lead, 23-22, on a Spencer LaShells offensive rebound and put-back with 4:40 remaining in the first half.
 
Chico State missed its next eight shots, however, and UC San Diego put together a 12-0 run that only ended when Justin Briggs scored with 16 seconds left in the half.
 
The bucket and the halftime break were not enough to stop UC San Diego's momentum. 
 
The Tritons made 3-pointers on each of their first four second-half possessions to open a commanding lead. The Wildcats eventually stemmed the tide, but the Tritons made a total of 10 3-pointers after the break to keep Chico State a bey.
 
Briggs led Chico State with 14 points and five rebounds. Kevin Warren scored 13 points and grabbed a pair of steals in his Chico State debut. LaShells finished with 12 points and five rebounds in 16 minutes. Calvin Geraci (11 points) and Malik Duffy (10) also reached double figures. 
 
The Wildcats are back in action next Saturday at San Francisco State.
 
Support Students, Faculty, and Staff Impacted by the Camp Fire
The Wildcat Athletics Family is committed to doing all we can to help spread awareness and help for those directly impacted by the Camp Fire, which struck Butte County on Thursday, November 8. We are reaching out to you asking for help raising money for the Wildcats Rise Fire Recovery Fund, established by the University. 
 
Thanks to our donors' remarkable generosity, the Wildcat Athletics Family has surpassed $5,000 in donations! And yet, we know the needs are substantial. In order to provide even greater relief, which we now know will be necessary, we are setting our sights even higher for the Wildcat Athletics Family Wildcats Rise Fire Recovery Fund. Join us to help our Wildcats Family rise!
 
Give by simply clicking HERE or by texting WildcatsRise74 to 71777.

All donations from individual donors and teams will go to the Wildcats Rise Fire Recovery Fund. Donations to this fund will be distributed to support students, faculty, and staff in need of aid for clothing and household goods, electronics such as phones and laptops, transportation, childcare assistance, temporary housing, school supplies, or meal assistance. 

This terrible disaster will not stop the resolve of our Chico State community. Together, our Wildcats Family will rise.
 
For complete information on the University's response, please visit HERE.