The UC San Diego Tritons (14-3, 4-1 Big West) were held to a season-low 52 points as they saw their 12-game win streak snapped at the hands of the UC Irvine Anteaters (15-2, 5-0 Big West) in a 60-52 defeat.

UC San Diego was limited to 32 points in the first half and then held to just 20 points in the second half, including six points in the last 10 minutes.

It was a back-and-forth game between the two best Big West Conference teams with six lead changes and twice the score was tied.

UC Irvine managed to limit the Tritons in large part to holding their biggest scorer, senior guard Tyler McGhie, to just three shots taken from the floor and four points scored.

“That’s one of those things that we’ll look at the film and try to diagnose where I let him down there,” head coach Eric Olen said, taking the blame for not putting McGhie in the right situations. “I gotta do a better job of having him involved so we’ll figure that out.

“Everybody in the league is good. I’m sure everyone’s gonna watch the film and it won’t be the last time we see a similar defense.”

The last time the Tritons were held to 52 points in a single game was on Dec. 20, 2022 when they played the cross-town rival San Diego State Aztecs.

The loss snapped a 12-game win streak for the Tritons that set their Division I record.

The first half began with turnovers on back-to-back possessions that gave the Tritons a four-point advantage and ended with a steal by Chris Howell and a three from Aidan Burke with three seconds left.

The Tritons took a 46-43 lead midway into the second half but a 17-6 Anteaters run in the remaining 10 minutes handed them their first loss in conference play.

Up next: The Tritons will go on the road for the second time in conference play on Thursday, Jan. 16 when they visit the Long Beach State Beach (7-10, 3-2 Big West).