SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — UC San Diego looks to solidify its position in the upper tier of the Big West Conference when it hosts struggling UC Riverside in a men’s Division I basketball matchup on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, at RIMAC Arena. The Tritons (17-9 overall) enter on a high note after a dominant 68-51 victory over UC Davis on Thursday, led by 20 points from Bol Dengdit and 18 from guard Hudson Mayes. UC San Diego has won three of its last five games. Conversely, the visiting Highlanders (8-18) are mired in a four-game losing streak, most recently falling 76-68 to UC Santa Barbara on Thursday. Their last win came on Jan. 29 against Long Beach State. The Tritons won the season’s first meeting 69-66 in Riverside on Jan. 10, a result that will likely be on the minds of both squads. A key matchup will feature two of the conference’s top guards. UC Riverside’s Andrew Henderson is a dynamic scorer coming off a 22-point performance against UCSB and a 39-point outburst against Cal Poly on Jan. 31. He averages 18.4 points over his last eight games. For UC San Diego, Hudson Mayes provides steady production, averaging 11.0 points per game during the same eight-game span. His backcourt play will be crucial against Henderson and the Highlanders’ attack. The Tritons have been strong at home this season, while UC Riverside has found wins hard to come by on the road. UC San Diego will aim to leverage its defensive strength, which held UC Davis to 51 points, against a Highlanders team that has allowed an average of 80.5 points during its current skid. Saturday’s contest is the first of a two-game homestand for UC San Diego, which visits UC Irvine next on Feb. 21. UC Riverside returns home to face Cal State Bakersfield on Feb. 19. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. PST at RIMAC Arena on the UC San Diego campus.