Feb. 7, 2004
Box Score
(San Diego, CA) - The USD men's basketball team defeated visiting Santa Clara 74-71 to earn their first WCC victory of the season and snap their 11-game skid. Junior center Brice Vounang scored a season-best 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting and Brandon Gay (18 points/10 rebounds) and Nick Lewis (11 points/14 rebounds) each contributed double-doubles in the winning effort. With the win USD moves to 4-19 overall and 1-7 in WCC play; the SCU Broncos fall to 13-11 overall and 5-4 in league.
San Diego led at halftime for just the 5th time this season in taking a 32-27 intermission lead. Freshman guard Avi Fogel, who made four treys at Santa Clara on Thursday, buried one just before the halftime buzzer. In the second half USD extended their lead to 7 points right away with a Vounang bucket, but then Santa Clara went on a 13-0 run to take a 40-34 lead with 16:48 to go. Both teams battled back and forth with Santa Clara taking a 53-46 advantage at the 8:27 mark on a Jim Howell jumper. Then Vounang (4 points) and Gay ( 6 points) went to work getting the Toreros back to a one point lead at 58-57 with 4:41 to go.
The Toreros held a 67-57 lead with 1:47 to go before Santa Clara put another scare in USD and got within 2 points at 73-71 with :05 seconds left as Doron Perkins hit a trey and was fouled and made the charity. SCU fouled Brett Melton on the inbounds and he canned the second of two chances. SCU's Kyle Bailey, who matched USD's Vounang with 26 points, shot a desperation three at the buzzer and it was long.
San Diego outrebounded the Broncos 41-36, and turned the ball over just 14 times on the night. USD also executed better at the free throw line canning 71.4% (25-35). Santa Clara attempted 45 treys and made just 13 (28.9%). Deron Perkins added 19 points for the Broncos.
