Feb. 3, 2005

Box Score

(SAN DIEGO, CA) - The USD Toreros began their 3-game homestand with an impressive 77-70 win over the Loyola Marymount Lions to improve their season mark to 11-10 overall and 3-5 in WCC play. Seniors Brandon Gay (22 points/8 rebounds) and Brice Vounang (18 points/10 rebounds) led the way offensively for USD who snapped a 3-game skid. Sophomore guard Ross DeRogatis turned in a solid performance at the point with 8 points, 5 assists and 3 steals in 37 minutes of action. Nick Lewis, with 1st half foul trouble, finished the game with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting. LMU (10-11; 2-6) was paced by sophomore center Matthew Knight (25 points/8 rebounds). USD returns to the JCP this Saturday for a 4:30 p.m. contest against Pepperdine.

"Our defense won the game for us tonight," said head coach Brad Holland. "We were able to finish defensively tonight. Also, Ross DeRogatis gave us a big lift at point guard with 37 minutes of action. He did an outstanding job tonight with his floor leadership."

USD got out of the gates quickly by jumping out to an early 12-4 lead with Lewis accounting for 6 of the points. The Toreros extended the margin to 12 at 22-10 with 12:37 to go. The Lions got untracked over the next 6 minutes to knot the score at 26-all with Brandon Worthy scoring 6 during that stretch and Wes Wardrop capping the run with a three-pointer. After a Brice Vounang basket the Lions scored the next 8 to go up 34-28 with 2 minutes to go, but Corey Belser and Brandon Gay scored back-to-back buckets to pull within 34-32 at intermission.

In the 2nd half LMU went up 36-32 early but a Brandon Gay three-pointer at the 17:40 mark gave USD a 37-36 lead and they would stay ahead the rest of the way. The Toreros extended their lead to 10 points at 55-45 with 10:05 to go on a DeRogatis layup, but twice the Lions pulled to within 3 points, the last time with 4:33 to go on a 3-pointer by Worthy to make it 60-57. Down the stretch the Toreros answered every LMU threat and owned a 10 point lead with :10 seconds to go before LMU's Brandon Worthy buried a trey for the final 77-70 count.

USD shot 59.3% from the field in the 2nd half (16-27) and finished the game at a respectable 50.9% (28-55). Although USD struggled from beyond the 3-point arc (31.3%), they were once again solid from the free throw line (72.7%; 16-22). The Toreros also dominated the rebounding department (40-23) with Vounang and Corey Belser (9) pacing the way. LMU finished the game shooting 46.6% from the floor.