STOCKTON, Calif. – Senior guard Jahlil Tripp scored a season-high 17 points to lead the Pacific men's basketball team to a 58-51 win over UC Riverside at the Alex G. Spanos Center on Sunday afternoon.

The Tigers improve to 4-2 on the season, while the Highlanders fall to 2-2.

 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

First Half

• The Tigers struggled to score early, falling to a quick six-point (8-2) deficit. 
• Pacific called an early timeout at 16:10 to regroup and after exiting the huddle James Hampshire scored back-to-back buckets, including and alley-oop dunk to cut the Highlanders lead to just two points (8-6).
• UC Riverside then answered with a 6-2 run that led to its largest lead of the game (8 points) at 12:09.
• With just under 10 minutes to play in the half, Pacific found themselves down by five points. That lead was erased with a made three-pointer at 8:27 by Gary Chivichyan and a made jump shot by Justin Moore at 7:49.
• Neither team held larger than a five point lead the remainder of the half. A Pacific 7-0 run gave the Tigers a 28-25 lead heading into the final two minutes of play.
• The Tiger went into break tied for the first time this season on nine first half points from Tripp and six from both Chivichyan and Hampshire.
• Much like its past five games, Pacific's bench came up big in the first half, scoring 15 of its 28 points. 
• Both teams scored 12 points in the paint and UC Riverside out-shot Pacific in the field, 42.3%-39.3%.
   

Second Half

• The Tigers hit their stride in the second half, opening the half with a 10-2 run, which forced a UCR timeout at the 8:17 mark. Moore scored four points during the run. 
• A made three-pointer by Austin Vereen at 6:27 made it a three-possession game, giving the Tigers a six-point lead (49-43). 
• Pacific then went on an 8-3 run that gave the Tigers their largest lead of the game (10 points) with just under a minute left to play (00:56).
• In the final 2:11, the Tigers scored five points, all of which were from the free throw line. 
• Six of Moore's assists were handed off in the final 20 minutes of play.
  
   

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

• Tripp finished 5-for-6 from the field, 1-for-1 from the three-point line and 6-for-8 from the free throw line, while also recording team-bests of seven rebounds and two steals en route to being named the City of Stockton Human Resources Hardworking Player of the Game for the first time this season.
• Moore scored in double-figures for the fifth time this season, totaling 10 points on the night. In addition, the junior from San Diego, Calif. dished out a season-high seven assists and collected five rebounds.
• Hampshire continues to make his impact on the Tigers squad, recording a season-high nine points, while pulling down five rebounds and recording a team-best two blocks. 
• As team, Pacific committed a season-low six turnovers.
  
   

WHAT COACH STOUDAMIRE SAYS

"I thought our bench gave us a big jump today."

"I have always seen something in James Hampshire "Hamp" because when I watched him at Casper College he listened, always watched his demeanor when he talked to coaches and he always carried instructions on to the floor. That is what he did for us tonight. I thought he, along with Pierre and Gary, saved us in the first half."

"Collectively as a group, I thought we grinded it out. We knew the game was going to go this way. This was a tough team."

 

WHAT'S NEXT
Pacific will be on short rest as it is set to return to action on Tuesday night, when it hosts Coppin State in the second-of-four College Hoops Roadshow tournament games. The Tigers will tip with the Eagles at 7:00 p.m. Video, audio, and live stats links for the game are can be found on the men's basketball schedule page at pacifictigers.com.

 

FOLLOW US
For more information about the Pacific men's basketball team, be sure to follow them on twitter (@PacificMensBB) and on Instagram (pacificmensbb).