March 6, 2008
USD WCC Tourney Notes 
GAME #32: The USD Toreros (18-13; 11-3 wcc) enter the 2008 WCC Tournament as the No. 3 seed. With a first round bye, they will play in Saturday's second quarterfinal game (approx. 8:30 pm) against the winner of Friday's #6 Pepperdine-#7 Portland matchup.
WCC TOURNEY BRACKET: (Fri., Mar. 7th, 6 pm) #5 USF vs. #8 LMU; #6 Pepperdine vs. #7 Portland (30 min. after). (Sat., Mar. 8th, 6 pm) #4 Santa Clara vs. #5/#8 winner; #3 San Diego vs. #6/#7 winner (30 min. after). (Sun., Mar. 9th, 6:30 pm) #1 Gonzaga vs. #4/#5/#8 winner; #2 Saint Mary's vs. #3/#6/#7 winner (30 min. after). (Mon., Mar. 10th, 6 pm) Semi-final #1 winner vs. Semi-final #2 winner.
WCC TOURNEY TICKETS: There are still men's All-Session packages available ($100). Fans can purchase online at www.usdtoreros.com or by visiting the JCP Ticket Office (Thu.-Fri., 9 am; Sat.-Mon., 11 am). Single session tickets ($30) for Saturday's games will go on sale beginning on Saturday at 11 am. Sunday's single session tickets will go on sale on Sunday at 11 am, and same format for Monday's championship game.
RADIO/INTERNET: Saturday's contest will 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 are also available at usdtoreros.com and XXSportsRadio.com.
WCC STANDINGS (as of Mar. 6th): #1 Gonzaga (13-1 wcc; 24-6), #2 Saint Mary's (12-2; 25-5), #3 San Diego (11-3; 18-13), #4 Santa Clara (6-8; 14-15), #5 San Francisco (5-9; 9-20), #6 Pepperdine (4-10; 10-20), #7 Portland (3-11; 9-21), #8 LMU (2-12; 5-25).
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 18-13 (11-3 wcc) into the WCC Tourney. 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 18 wins are 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.
TRIO OF TOREROS HONORED BY WCC: USD juniors Brandon Johnson and Gyno Pomare have both been named to the 2008 All-WCC Men's Basketball First Team. The junior tandem helped lead the Toreros to an overall regular-season record of 18-13, and an 11-3 third place WCC mark. For Pomare, it marks the second straight season he has been named First Team, while it is Johnson's first honor. Both players, who were selected by WCC coaches in the preseason as two of the top six returning players, have put together solid seasons. Freshman forward Rob Jones was named to the All-WCC Freshman team. Brandon Johnson leads the team in scoring (16.8 ppg), assists (3.7) and steals (2.4). Named the January WCC Player of the Month, and a two-time WCC Player of the Week, Johnson ranks third in the WCC with his 16.8 ppg average, and 1st in steals and 4th in assists. Pomare, who just became the third USD Division I player to amass 1,200+ career points and 600+ rebounds, ranks second to Johnson in scoring (13.8 ppg). He also leads the Toreros in rebounding (ranks 7th in WCC) and FG% (.546; 3rd in WCC). Like Johnson, Pomare was twice named a WCC Player of the Week this season. Jones, who earned one WCC Player of the Week award, is third on the team in scoring (8.4 ppg) and second in rebounding (5.4 rpg).
TORERO TIDBITS: USD enters the WCC Tourney as the No. 3 seed - the last time the Toreros entered with this seeding was back in 2000 at SCU (the Toreros beat #5 Portland in the first round, then lost to #2 Gonzaga in the semis)... This is the fourth year for USD to host this event at the JCP (2001-2003) - USD is 4-2 in WCC Tourney games at USD, including the championship in 2003 when they were the No. 2 seed and beat No. 1 Gonzaga 72-63...USD's 11 WCC wins 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 1,216 and 641 rebounds... Scott Thompson (1,379 & 740; 1983-87) and Ryan Williams (1,318 & 653; 1994-99) sit ahead of him... Among WCC players for all games, Brandon Johnson ranks 3rd in scoring (16.8 ppg), 1st in steals (2.37), 4th in assists (3.67), 1st in 3-pointers made per game (2.17), and 7th in assist/turnover ratio (+1.11)... With his 7 steals at Gonzaga (1-19-08), Johnson tied the school record held by Corey Belser and Mike Whitmarsh... For all games among WCC players, Gyno Pomare ranks 6th in scoring (13.8), 7th in rebounding (7.3), 3rd in field goal percentage (.546), and 6th in blocked shots (1.32)... Pomare leads the team with 6 double-doubles this season, the last coming against Santa Clara (11/10) - he owns 16 career double "D's"... Freshman Rob Jones ranks 8th in the WCC in FG% (.498) and 10th in rebounding (5.4)... Over the past seven games, freshman guard Trumaine Johnson has reached double-digit scoring six times, including his career-high of 22 points against Pepperdine... He is averaging11.3 ppg during this stretch... In WCC games only, USD ranks 2nd in scoring defense (59.8 ppg) and 1st in 3-point FG% defense (.310; 63-203)... 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 10-5 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 Monday's win over LMU, USD has now won 6 of 7... Prior to the Gonzaga loss, USD beat Portland (78-61) and knocked off No. 20 Saint Mary's (63-55)... USD leaders at the JCP include Brandon Johnson (16.1 ppg/4.2 apg/2.6 steals)and Gyno Pomare (15.6 ppg/7.9 rpg) ... USD averages 66.4 ppg while holding opponents to 60.9 ppg... USD outrebounds its opponents at the JCP - 33.9 to 31.1... Since opening its doors back in November of 2000, USD is 69-42 overall (62.1 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.
SCOUTING USD'S NEXT OPPONENT: USD will face the winner of the #6 Pepperdine-#7 Portland matchup. The Pepperdine Waves (4-10 wcc, 10-20) will look to snap a two-game skid after closing out the regular season with losses to USD (77-73) and San Francisco (88-63)... Scoring leaders include San Diego freshman products Tyrone Shelley (14.8 ppg/5.9) and Malcom Thomas (12.6/8.8)... The two teams split their series this season with Pepperdine overcoming an 18-point 2nd half deficit to win in Portand, 71-66... Guard Rico Tucker's season is over after he sustained a knee injury in the USD game. Portland closed out the regular-season with 5 losses in its final 6 games - the lone win a 64-58 win over Santa Clara... USD swept the Pilots this season - winning in Portland (64-61) on Brandon Johnson's buzzer-beating three, and again in San Diego (78-61)... UP is led by guard Nik Raivio (12.7 ppg)... Forward Robin Smeulders is right behind at 9.6 ppg and 6.7 rpg.
WCC TOURNAMENT RETURNS TO SAN DIEGO: The Jenny Craig Pavilion will be the site for the 2008 West Coast Conference Basketball Championships (Mar. 6-10). San Diego last hosted this event for a three-year run between 2001-03. For the sixth consecutive season, the men's championships will use an 8-team/Play-in format, while the women's championships will use the traditional 1 vs. 8 format with no byes for the fourth straight year. Tickets can still be purchased online at www.usdtoreros.com, or at the ticket office (opens at 9 am Thur.-Fri.; opens at 11 am Sat.-Mon.)... Remaining single session tickets ($30) for Saturday's quarterfinals will go on sale on Saturday at 11 am.
