Feb. 9, 2005
Box Score
(SAN DIEGO, CA) - The USD Toreros closed out their 3-game homestand with their third straight win in dealing the USF Dons a 69-61 setback. It was 11th-year head coach Brad Holland's 161st win as a Torero coach making him the program's all-time winningest coach as he surpassed Jim Brovelli (160-130; 1973-84). With the win the Toreros (13-10; 5-5 WCC) now own sole possession of 4th place in the WCC standings with four games to go and jump ahead of the USF Dons (13-10; 4-6). USD travels to the Pacific Northwest next week for games at Gonzaga (Feb. 17) and Portland (Feb. 19).
USD junior forward Floyd North came off the bench to lead four Toreros in double digits with 16 points and 7 rebounds in just 17 minutes of action. USD's starting frontline all reached double figures for the 11th time this season - Brice Vounang (14), Brandon Gay (14) and Nick Lewis (10). Junior forward Corey Belser played a key role in the victory as he limited the WCC's leading scorer, John Cox (20.9 ppg) to single digits with 9 (4x16 shooting). The Dons received a game-high 19 points from Tyrone Riley, with Alan Wiggins (Poway, CA) chipping in with 13.
"After our recent trip to the bay area to play Saint Mary's and Santa Clara, I told our team we were at a critical juncture in our season," said head coach Brad Holland. "With three home games we could go north or south, and our team came together and we won all three games to turn it around. Tonight I feel like we had a lot of poise and that the players just willed this win."
In the first 10 minutes of the half neither team could break away with USD's biggest lead being 4 points at 18-14 with 10:54 to go. Over the next 5 minutes the Toreros were able to get untracked offensively and build a 31-21 advantage with North chipping in 7 of the points in the 13-7 run. USD inched the lead to 11 at 35-24 before settling for the 43-33 halftime lead. Both Gay and Vounang had 11 points at the half for USD, while Riley scored 14 of his 19.
With the Toreros missing their first 10 attempts from the field in the 2nd half, USF pulled to within 3 at 52-49 with 9:09 to go. Brandon Gay finally converted the team's first basket at the 8:49 mark and the Toreros jumped ahead by 5. Down the stretch a John Cox trey pulled the Dons to within 63-59 with 00:55 seconds left, but North nailed his final 6 free throws to ice the game. Free throws saved the Toreros after intermission as they canned 18-of-22 (81.8%) over the final 20 minutes.
For the game USD outrebounded the Dons 40-32, and outshot them 44.4% to 35.4%. USD finished the game making 80.6% from the charity stripe while the Dons struggled (62.5%). USD improves to 10-2 at the JCP this season and will close out their WCC regular-season slate with Santa Clara (Feb. 24) and Saint Mary's (Feb. 26).
