Incredible Half Propels UC San Diego's Roberts to CCAA Player of the Week Acclaim
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UC San Diego guard Tyrell Roberts lit up the arena to the tune of 30 points during Saturday night’s first half against Cal State San Bernardino, and winds up as the CCAA Player of the Week for Jan. 13-19.
The redshirt sophomore out of Sacramento averaged 22.5 points, 3.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 35.5 minutes during two more wins for the fifth-ranked conference leaders, at home over fellow contenders. He was 14-for-27 (.519) from the floor, 9-for-15 (.600) from long range, and hit all eight free throw attempts.
Roberts outscored the Coyotes, which had entered Saturday’s matchup in second with an identical eight-game win streak, by himself over a staggering first half, 30-24. He knocked down the first shot by either side of the contest, a three-pointer 18 seconds in, and caught fire. Roberts had 19 points within 10:01 of the opening tip, and had already eclipsed his previous career high of 28 points by the intermission.
The Tritons rolled to an 87-59 decision, and with a limited 10 second-half minutes, Roberts finished with 33 points. He shot 11-of-18 from the field and 7-of-11 from three-point territory. The seven made triples were also a career best.
In Thursday’s 69-57 victory against No. 20 Cal Poly Pomona in front of a season-high 2,331 spectators on the Tritons’ annual Spirit Night, Roberts went for 12 points while playing the entire 40 minutes. The 2018-19 CCAA Newcomer of the Year and All-CCAA First Team pick added five assists, three steals and two boards.
Roberts’ weekly award gives UC San Diego a league-best three for the current campaign, as he joins senior teammates Chris Hansen (Nov. 12) and Christian Oshita (Nov. 26). He is up to fourth in the CCAA in scoring, averaging 17.4 points per game.
UC San Diego is off to the best start in program history, now at 17-1, and boasts the CCAA’s longest current win streak at nine in a row. Last week’s sweep has built a two-game lead for the Tritons (11-1) atop the latest standings. They are back on the road this week, returning to the Bay Area to take on San Francisco State on Thursday night and Sonoma State on Saturday, both on the
CCAA Network.
Also nominated:
Andrew Ferguson, Cal State Monterey Bay
Colten Kresl, Cal State Dominguez Hills
Isaiah Pope, Humboldt State
Jeremy Smith, Cal State San Bernardino
Evan Wardlow, Cal State East Bay