A basketball player celebrates after a basket.
UC San Diego guard Tyler McGhie reacts after hitting a 3-pointer against Michigan during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Denver. (Photo by David Zalubowski/AP)

In its first-ever NCAA March Madness tournament appearance, the Tritons fought hard to come back in the second half, but a final shot to tie it up in the waning seconds fell short, and so did the Tritons’ season in a 68-65 first round loss to Michigan.

The Wolverines came out on fire early, as they scored the first 10 points of the game. Michigan’s size, two seven-footers, proved to be a problem early for the Tritons who had trouble matching the height inside. 

Nine first-half turnovers from the Wolverines (26-9) kept the Tritons within striking distance. Although the Tritons would fight to bring it within single-digits at one point in the first half, Michigan still ran to a 14-point lead at the break.

The second half is where the Tritons really turned it up a notch. A 12-0 run in the early minutes of the second half brought the Tritons within three, thanks to transition layups, free throws and good three-point shooting.

From there, it was a back-and-forth affair, with Michigan holding a lead until Tyler McGhie hit a jump shot to give the Tritons its first lead of the game, 65-63 with just over two minutes remaining. 

UC San Diego would not score from then on, as a three and clutch free-throw shooting from the Wolverines would close the game out. McGhie had a chance to tie it in the final seconds, but a contested double-clutch three pointer did not fall.

Foul trouble was a key issue for the Tritons (30-5), especially in the second half. UC San Diego’s leading scorer from the regular season, and Big West Player of the Year, Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones picked up fouls three and four within the first minute of the second half.

Tait-Jones fouled out of the game with just under seven minutes to go and only finished with seven points. Justin Rochelin also fouled out in the final minute.

Although the final shot did not fall for McGhie, he led the Tritons all night long in scoring, especially with Tait-Jones on the bench for much of the second half. McGhie finished with 25 points on 9-27 shooting.

“This team is obviously special,” McGhie said after the game in a March Madness press conference. “Thirty wins in a season, it doesn’t happen by surprise. Just the confidence that these dudes instill in me, 3-15 from three and I have the ball with 10 seconds left.

“Just a great team to be around. I’ve been on some pretty good teams, but this one is definitely the most special team I’ve ever been on.”

Head coach Eric Olen also acknowledged postgame how hard seasons are when they finish, but he was proud of the team and how they performed in the end.

“Proud of my team’s effort,” Olen said following the defeat. “(I) thought our guys continued to fight, great response to a disappointing first half. Unfortunately just came up a couple plays short.”

Fifth-seed Michigan moves on to play fourth-seed Texas A&M, which beat Yale Thursday. 

Updated at 10:14 p.m. PST on March 20, 2025