Dec. 30, 2006

Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The University of San Diego women's basketball team saw their four-game winning streak come to an end Saturday evening in a 73-45 loss to the University of Texas in the championship game of the Surf N Slam Classic at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.

With the loss, the Toreros fall to 10-3 overall, but are still off to the best start in program history. With the win, the Longhorns improve to 10-3 overall and claim the championship of the Surf N Slam Classic.

Amanda Rego recorded 10 points, a team-best six assists and team-leading eight rebounds en route to earning a spot on the All-Tournament team. Kelly Winther was the leading scorer for USD with 11 points, including going 3-for-4 from the three-point line. Amber Sprague notched in eight points on way to being the second Torero named to the All-Tournament team and she recorded a game-high three blocks. As a team, USD shot 33 percent from the floor and were out rebounded 51-31.

For the Longhorns, Tiffany Jackson led the team with her game-high 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting en route to being selected as the Tournament MVP. Earnesia Williams was the only other Texas player in double figures with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Texas shot 46 percent from the floor in the win.

USD held the lead in the early part of the game at 3-2, thanks to a three-point play by Amanda Rego, but that lead was short lived, as Texas would go on a 13-2 run to take a 10-point lead at 15-5. Texas would then push their lead up to 20 going into the break at 41-21.

In the second-half, Texas would continue to increase their lead as they built their lead up to as many as 25 at 48-23, but the Toreros wouldn't go down without a fight as USD then launched a comeback with 16:21 remaining.

Sprague got things going for the Toreros with back-to-back jumpers, then Rego followed that with a lay-up to give USD a 6-0 run. San Diego then continued their defensive pressure and with the crowd on its feet would score seven more points to conclude a 13-0 run pulling to within 12 of the Longhorns, who seemed to go ice cold from the field.

But a free-throw by Carla Cortijo ended the USD run and Texas would use an 8-0 run to regain momentum and not look back.

The Toreros will return to action on Tuesday as they hit the road for their final West Coast Conference tune-up against Southern Utah University in a 6:05 p.m. game.

SURF N SLAM ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMTiffany Jackson - Texas (MVP)Earnesia Williams - TexasCasey Nash - Oregon StateCedes Fox-GriffinAmber Sprague - San DiegoAmanda Rego - San Diego