Nov. 29, 2009

Box Score

San Diego, Calif.- Despite a career-high 30 points from sophomore guard Dominique Conners, the University of San Diego women's basketball team was unable to complete their comeback bid, falling to non-conference opponent UC Santa Barbara by a score of 75-65 on Sunday afternoon at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.

Conners scored 18 of her 30 points in the second half, contributing the first 14 points for USD (3-4) to open the final frame. The 6-0 guard was 10-of-20 from the field, including 3-of-6 from three-point range, and added a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line to lead the Toreros. She also added six boards and had six steals.

The Toreros, who trailed 37-34 coming out of halftime, benefited from Conners' scorching second half, taking the lead - their first advantage of the game - with 16:49 remaining as Conners stole the ball from Margaret Johnson and drove the length of the court to finish with a lay-up, setting the score at 41-39. Following a brief lead by the Gauchos (1-4), Conners continued her hot second-half, nailing a jumper from left baseline at 14:58 and placing USD in the lead, 43-42. A three-point play at 12:51 by Conners stretched USD's lead to its widest margin, 48-44, before the Gauchos went on an 11-2 run sparked by an Emile Johnson jumper at 12:37.

The Toreros eventually tied the game at 56 after Emily Hatch drilled a jump shot with 3:34 remaining, but the Gauchos used a questionable five-point play 11 seconds later to regain the lead for good. Johnson hit a three as Danesia Williamson registered a foul, sending Jordan Franey to the line where she hit both her free throws, setting the score to 61-56. Williamson's foul was off the ball and had no effect on the shot, but the officials decided to allow the 3-point basket and give UCSB a 1-and-1 free throw attempt to make the five point play and switch the momentum back to the Gauchos.

For the game, the Toreros were 20-of-59 in field goal shooting, hitting only eight of their 26 three-point attempts. The Gauchos meanwhile were 7-of-13 from beyond the arc, helping them shoot 48% (24-of-50) from the field.

The Toreros were slow out of the gate to open the game before Conners provided the early offense, as she registered six of the Toreros' first eight points with a lay-up and a successful free throw followed by a long-distance three at the 14:30 mark tying the score at 8-8.

UCSB used their stretch of 5-of-7 field goals to go on a 9-0 run, capped by a Megan Williams three with 11:18 left in the half. Conners retaliated with a three of her own at the 10:49 to set the score at 17-11.

The Gauchos extended their lead to 12 after Johnson, who scored a team-high 29 points for UC Santa Barbara, hit the Gauchos' fourth three of the first half, bringing the score to 28-16 with 5:47 remaining in the opening half.

The Toreros quickly answered as Morgan Henderson drilled a three just beyond the arc at the 5:04 mark. Henderson scored six points for the game, all of which came off her two threes. She also added 10 rebounds to lead the Toreros.

USD would go on to narrow the one-time double digit lead to within one as Denesia Williamson scored on an uncontested lay-up with six seconds remaining in the opening half, bringing the score to 35-34. Franey of the Gauchos would sink a jumper following an inbound pass to beat the buzzer and setting the score at 37-34 UC Santa Barbara going into the break.

San Diego will look to rebound from the loss as they will take on UNLV on Wednesday evening at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m.