March 10, 2008
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USD-Gonzaga Notes 
GAME #34: The #3 seed USD Toreros (20-13) will take on #1 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs (25-6) in tonight's 6 p.m. West Coast Conference Tournament Championship Game. The winner of tonight's contest earns the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Division I Tournament. With Sunday's 75-69 double overtime win against Saint Mary's, USD has reached 20 wins for just the third time in Div. I program history (20-9 in 1999-00; 24-6 in 1986-87).
SERIES RECORD: Gonzaga leads the all-time series 52-20, and has won 13 straight over the Toreros and 22 of 23. USD's one win over the Bulldogs during this stretch was a big one as the Toreros defeated the Zags 72-63 in the 2003 WCC Tourney title game at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. That season USD entered the tourney as the #2 seed while the Bulldogs were #1. The past three seasons Gonzaga has knocked off USD in the WCC semifinal round. The Zags are 9-4 against USD all-time in WCC Tournament matchups.
TV/RADIO/INTERNET: Tonight's final will be telecast on ESPN with Terry Gannon and Stephen Bardo. USD's contest will also be broadcast on XX Sports Radio (1090 AM & 105.7 FM) with Andy Masur and John Kentera bringing you all the action (pre-game 15 minutes prior to tipoff). The audio broadcasts is also available at www.usdtoreros.com.
WCC RECORDS (as of Mar. 10th): #1 Gonzaga (13-1 wcc; 25-6), #2 Saint Mary's (12-2; 25-6), #3 San Diego (11-3; 20-13), #4 Santa Clara (6-8; 15-15), #5 San Francisco (5-9; 10-21), #6 Pepperdine (4-10; 11-21), #7 Portland (3-11; 9-22), #8 LMU (2-12; 5-26).
COACH GRIER (1ST YEAR): Coach Bill Grier (Oregon, 1990) is in his first season at the helm of the USD program, and his first at the NCAA Division I level. He brings a record of 20-13 (11-3 wcc) into the Gonzaga game. His 11 WCC wins are the second most for a single season in program history. Hired on March 26, 2007, Grier is USD's 11th head coach overall and just the 4th head coach since the Torero program moved to the NCAA Division I ranks in 1979-80. His 20 wins is also the most by a Torero coach in his first season at USD - previous mark was 16 held by Hank Egan ('84-85) and Jim Brovelli ('73-74). The 44-year-old Grier spent the past 16 years at Gonzaga, including the last 8 seasons as Mark Few's top assistant. Over the past eight years Gonzaga compiled a 211-52 record; won the WCC regular-season title seven times; the WCC Tournament title seven times; advanced to the NCAA Tournament eight times, including three trips to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. Overall with Grier as an assistant coach, the Bulldogs combined for an overall record of 381-126; won 11 regular-season WCC titles; won nine WCC Tournament titles (33-7 WCC Tournament record); advanced to nine consecutive NCAA Tournaments, and ten overall, including four Sweet 16 appearances and the 1999 Elite Eight. Bill and his wife, Nicole, have one daughter, Giselle.
JOHNSON & POMARE LEAD TOREROS PAST SMC GAELS: The USD Toreros overcame a 17-point deficit in the first half to battle back and hand the No. 2 seed Saint Mary's Gaels a 75-69 double overtime loss in last night's second semi-final game. No. 1 seed Gonzaga held off No. 4 Santa Clara, 52-48 in the first semi. Junior guard Brandon Johnson set a new school record by playing all 50 minutes as he poured in a career-best 28 points to go with 8 rebounds. Junior Gyno Pomare, who was in foul trouble two nights ago against Pepperdine, responded with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocked shots against the Gaels. Johnson scored six of his points in the overtime periods. It was the second win over the Gaels this season in their three meetings. At the end of regulation the game was tied at 52-52. The first OT saw a 3-3 draw, while the final five minutes saw USD outscore the Gaels 20-14.
TORERO TIDBITS: USD has reached 20 wins for just the third time since moving to Division I back in 1979-80 (24-6 in '86-87; 20-9 in '99-00)... The Toreros have now won 13 of their last 16 contests (8-1 at home during this stretch)... Tonight's contest marks the 3rd time USD has advanced to the WCC Finals - the Toreros are 1-1 (beat Gonzaga in 2003 at the JCP, 72-63; lost to Pepperdine 56-53 in 1994 @ Santa Clara)... This marks the fourth time USD has hosted this event at the JCP (2001-2003) - USD is 6-2 in WCC Tourney games played at the JCP, including the championship win in 2003... USD's 11 WCC wins this season is the second best total in USD history (13-1 in 1987 under head coach Hank Egan is the top record)... Last Monday junior Gyno Pomare became just the third USD Division I player to record 1,200 points and grab 600 rebounds - he currenty sits at 1,240 and 657 rebounds... Scott Thompson (1,379 & 740; 1983-87) and Ryan Williams (1,318 & 653; 1994-99) are the other two 1200-600 club members... With his 28 point performance against Saint Mary's, junior Brandon Johnson set at new USD game record for minutes played (50) and a new single season record for points scored (550)...With 1,237 career points, he is now 9th all-time at USD, just three points behind #8 Pomare... USD's win over No. 20 Saint Mary's back on Jan. 28th marked just the third time the Toreros have knocked off a ranked opponent, and the first time in the JCP - USD's other wins came at No. 14 UCLA (86-81, ot, 11-26-02) and over No. 25 Gonzaga in the USD Sports Center (75-59, 2-4-99).
TOREROS AT HOME IN THE JCP: USD is currently 12-5 in games played at the JCP... USD saw its 4-game home win streak snapped back on Feb. 18th by Gonzaga (59-55), but with Sunday's win over Saint Mary's, USD has now won 8 of 9... Prior to the Gonzaga loss, USD turned in a key home win by knocking off then No. 20 Saint Mary's (63-55)... USD leaders at the JCP include Brandon Johnson (16.9 ppg/3.9 apg/2.4 steals)and Gyno Pomare (15.2 ppg/7.9 rpg)... USD averages 67.3 ppg while holding opponents to 61.0 ppg (+6.3 scoring margin)... USD outrebounds its opponents at the JCP - 35.2 to 31.4 (+3.8 advantage)... Since opening its doors back in November of 2000, USD is 71-42 overall (.628 winning percentage)... With its 6-1 final WCC home record at the JCP, USD averaged 65.4 ppg, and held its WCC opponents to 57.9 ppg (+7.5 scoring margin)... Johnson (17.1 ppg) and Pomare (13.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg) led the way in the seven WCC home games.
