Local Colleges Report: UCSD Wins Fifth Straight; PLNU Teams Victorious at Home

UCSD men's basketball continues climb up Big West standings; PLNU men and women sweep Westmont

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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UC San Diego's men's basketball team won its fifth straight game, defeating Cal Poly 80-64 to improve to 21-9 overall and 11-7 in the Big West Conference. Meanwhile, Point Loma Nazarene University's men's and women's teams closed their regular seasons with home wins over Westmont College, and community college teams MiraCosta and San Diego City College also picked up victories.

Why it matters

The wins by UCSD, PLNU, MiraCosta, and San Diego City College highlight the strong performances of local college basketball programs in the region, with UCSD and PLNU positioning themselves well for postseason play in their respective conferences.

The details

UCSD was led by strong performances from guard Alex Chaikin (17 points), freshman guard Hudson Mayes (15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals), and forward Leo Beath (12 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals). The PLNU men's team was paced by guard Jaden Matingou (21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists), while the PLNU women were led by guard Maddie Morrow (14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals). In the community college ranks, MiraCosta outscored Palomar 18-0 over the final 6:27 of the first half en route to an 87-63 victory, and San Diego City College won its 15th straight game, defeating Saddleback 79-70 behind 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists from PCAC Men's Player of the Year Dylan Griffin.

  • UCSD won its fifth straight game on Saturday, March 1, 2026.
  • The PLNU men's and women's teams won their regular season finales on Saturday, March 1, 2026.
  • MiraCosta outscored Palomar 18-0 over the final 6:27 of the first half on Saturday, March 1, 2026.
  • San Diego City College won its 15th straight game on Saturday, March 1, 2026.

The players

Clint Allard

UCSD men's basketball coach.

Alex Chaikin

Guard for the UCSD men's basketball team.

Hudson Mayes

Freshman guard for the UCSD men's basketball team.

Leo Beath

Forward for the UCSD men's basketball team.

Jaden Matingou

Guard for the PLNU men's basketball team, attended St. Augustine High School.

Maddie Morrow

Guard for the PLNU women's basketball team.

Faith Behrendt

Sophomore guard for the MiraCosta women's basketball team, attended Classical Academy.

Kayla Palpallatoc

Sophomore point guard for the MiraCosta women's basketball team, attended Morse High School.

Anayla Anderson

PCAC Women's Player of the Year, sophomore point guard for the MiraCosta women's basketball team.

Dylan Griffin

PCAC Men's Player of the Year, forward for the San Diego City College men's basketball team, attended University City High School.

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What they’re saying

“It's a good time of the season to get hot.”

— Clint Allard, UCSD men's basketball coach (San Diego Union-Tribune)

What’s next

The UCSD men's basketball team has two road games remaining before the Big West Conference tournament begins on March 11 in Henderson, Nevada. The PLNU men's and women's teams will compete in the PacWest Tournament at PLNU this week. The San Diego City College men's team will play at fourth-seeded Ventura College next Saturday in the Southern California Regional playoffs.

The takeaway

The strong performances by the local college basketball programs, including UCSD, PLNU, MiraCosta, and San Diego City College, demonstrate the depth and competitiveness of basketball in the San Diego region. These teams are positioning themselves well for postseason success and continued growth of their respective programs.