In 1981, the UC San Diego Tritons men’s basketball team won the NCAA Division III championship, becoming the first UCSD team to win a national championship. The Tritons, led by head coach Bill Mulligan, defeated Widener University 80-78 in the championship game, with senior guard Dennis Kane hitting the game-winning shot with just two seconds remaining. The team finished the season with a 25-6 record and Kane was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player. The championship victory helped put UC San Diego on the map as a legitimate contender in the Division III ranks.