Gray hits six 3s as UC San Diego beats UC Irvine 75-61 for Big West title and NCAA Tourney berth

Hayden Gray knocked down six of his seven 3-point attempts and UC San Diego pulled away late to beat UC Irvine, 75-61 to earn its first Big West Conference Tournament championship and its first NCAA Tournament berth on Saturday night. The Tritons moved up from Division II to join the conference in 2020 and won the regular season championship with 18 wins in 20 conference games. UC Irvine took a 33-31 lead at intermission, but the Tritons took the lead in the third minute of the second half on a jumper by Tyler McGhie to start an 8-0 run for a seven-point advantage, 43-36.

Metheny, Peter lead Liberty to its first CUSA tourney title with 79-67 win over Jacksonville State

Kaden Metheny scored 21 points and Taelon Peter added 20, and top-seeded Liberty pulled away early in the second half to beat No. seed Jacksonville State 79-67 on Saturday night for its first Conference USA Tournament title. Liberty, in its second season as a member of CUSA, clinched its sixth NCAA Tournament berth in program history and its first since the Flames won the ASUN Conference Tournament in 2021.