Tritons Put Away Self-Doubt and Menlo

SAN DIEGO —  Two things became apparent to Tom Marshall as he watched, for the umpteenth time, the video tape of his UC San Diego men’s basketball team’s double overtime loss to Menlo College earlier this season.

One was that Ken Boldt still hit a 15-foot jumper at the buzzer to give Menlo the 86-85 victory at the Redlands tournament. And the second was that the Tritons were the better team.

“I don’t think we knew how good we really were,” Marshall said. “The coaching staff and the players were self-doubters.”

The Tritons, ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Division III West Region, erased a lot of that doubt Saturday night with a convincing, 77-67, victory over visiting Menlo, the region’s top-ranked team.

“You lose in double overtime in a game you should have won and you end up having dreams,” Marshall said. “We’ve been thinking about that team for so long. They’ve been the talk of the state in Division III.”

The Tritons gave the coaches who vote on the Division III poll something else to talk about as they dominated the first half and then held off a strong rally by Menlo in the second half.

When the votes are tabulated Tuesday morning, the Tritons (13-4) should be ranked No. 1 in the region for the first time since the school switched from NAIA to NCAA seven years ago.

UCSD took control early and dominated Menlo for a 46-27 halftime lead. The Tritons shot 53% from the field, made all three of their three-point shots, hit 11 of 15 free throws and out-rebounded the Oaks, 26-17.

Menlo (12-4), meanwhile, could manage just 38% of its shots, make two of seven from the line and three of 10 from three-point range.

But Marshall was certain that Menlo would come out charging in the second half.

The Oaks pulled within, 62-55, with 5:15 remaining and after Tim Rapp dropped a rebound out of bounds, Menlo had a chance to get even closer.

But the Tritons’ Rick Batt stole the ball and Gordon McNeill eventually scored to put UCSD up, 64-55, with 4:20 left. Rapp then stripped the ball and scored on a layup one minute later and the Tritons led, 66-55, to virtually put the game away.

Rapp finished with 30 points and Batt and McNeill added 14 apiece for UCSD. Boldt had 27 to lead Menlo.