Tritons can make a splash by beating SDSU, USD as part of packed nonconference schedule

As part of its transition to Division I, UC San Diego is ineligible to play in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

The Tritons can, however, win a city championship. And what a story that would be.

UCSD will host USD on Nov. 11 and San Diego State on Dec. 1, part of an aggressive nonconference schedule ahead of Big West play. Wins over the Toreros and national runner-up Aztecs at LionTree Arena would add rocket fuel to the program’s quest for national relevance.

“We’re certainly challenging ourselves in the nonconference,” UCSD coach Eric Olen said in a video posted to the Big West’s YouTube page. “These type of home environments … do so much to showcase our program on a larger stage. It brings energy to the campus and it does a lot for what we’re trying to build here.”

Here are four things to know about UCSD, which opens its season Monday night against Denver:

Replacing Roddie: UCSD’s first task this offseason was to find a replacement for Roddie Anderson III, who parlayed a wildly successful freshman season into a prominent role … at Boise State. Anderson averaged 15.8 points per game last season, tops among all Big West freshmen, before heading to the Mountain West’s Broncos.

As UCSD is learning, departures are a part of life in a mid-major conference. The Tritons lost guards Mikey Howell to Bradley and Ty Roberts to Washington State following the 2020-21 season, though Howell is now back on campus as an assistant coach. In 2022, forward Toni Rocak left UCSD for San Francisco.

Pope, Francis: UCSD will again lean on guard Bryce Pope. The San Diego native and Torrey Pines High School grad was named to the preseason all-conference team after averaging 18.4 points per game as a junior.

“He’s a huge part of what we’ve been doing since he set foot on campus,” Olen said. “It’s been fun to see his maturation both as a player and a person. Everybody realizes he’s the guy who has the ball at the end of the game for us.”

Olen is also bullish on forward Francis Nwaokorie, who finished second on the team with 15.1 points per game a year ago. His 7.1 rebounds per game ranked third in the Big West.

UCSD’s Francis Nwaokorie, right, defends during last year’s game against USD.

(Hayne Palmour IV/For The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Still, the 6-foot-6 junior’s contributions “don’t always show up in the box score,” Olen said. “We ask him to do so much. He’s one of those guys who does just a little bit of everything. He’s so well-rounded.”

One more year: The Tritons are spending one final season in postseason purgatory before becoming full-fledged members of the Big West. Olen, UCSD’s 11th-year coach, admits its been a long wait. The Tritons joined the Big West from the California Collegiate Athletic Association on July 1, 2020, though their admission came with a catch.

Per the terms of their move to Division I, the Tritons won’t be eligible for the postseason in any sport until July 1, 2024.

“It’s been a long transition,” Olen said. “We can’t wait for future access to postseason and all the things that come with being finished with the transition, but we’re excited about this group and this journey.”

UCSD coach Eric Olen talks to his players during the first half of last year’s game against USD.

(Hayne Palmour IV/For The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Playing spoiler: So what’s left to play for? Well, UCSD can be a professional pest. In addition to home games against SDSU and USD, the Tritons will play games at the Pac-12’s Washington (Nov. 28) and Cal (Dec. 20). They also play Navy at home Nov. 18 in a game billed as Military Appreciation Day.

The Tritons have been fearless since their move to Division I was announced. They beat Cal, Eastern Michigan and George Washington during the 2021-22 season, then topped Cal and EMU again last year.

Of course, wins over San Diego’s two other Division I basketball teams would trump them all. UCSD is 0-7 all-time against the two schools; last year, the Tritons fell 84-58 to USD at Jenny Craig Pavilion and 62-46 to SDSU at Viejas Arena.