Nov. 15, 2010
Box Score
STOCKTON, Calif. - Behind a 21-point performance from junior guard Dominique Conners, the University of San Diego women's basketball team (1-0) began their 2010-11 season with a bang, picking up a 72-61 non-conference win over the University of the Pacific (1-1) Monday evening at the Alex G. Spanos Center.
Conners paced all players with her 21 points on a 5-for-11 shooting performance from the floor, while also recording four steals and six assists. Senior guard Sam Child was the second of three USD players in double figures, as she scored 17 points on a 5-for-12 performance from the field, and junior guard Morgan Woodrow recorded 15 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the floor. Senior forward Emily Hatch also had a great performance as she led the team with 11 rebounds, while also recording seven points. San Diego shot .467 from the floor and out rebounded the Tigers 36-29.
In the first half, it was a close battle right out of the gates, as both teams took their turn with the lead over the first four minutes of action, and neither team had a lead bigger than three. Then with the score tied at 10, Conners scored the next five points of the game herself to give San Diego some momentum and a 15-10 lead with 14:55 to go. After Pacific ended the run with a Danielle Peacon lay-up, Woodrow hit a three to jumpstart a 5-0 USD run to give the Toreros a 20-12 lead with 13:55 to go.
San Diego would eventually build up its lead to as many as 11 at 27-16 on a Sara VanderHorst free throw with 8:24 to go. The Tigers then launched a comeback as a Jordan Rogers three-pointer ignited a 15-4 run to close out the half, and allow the Tigers to take a 31-30 lead into the break.
In the second half, a Nya Mason lay-up jump started a 9-0 Torero run that saw five different Toreros record at least one point, and gave USD a 39-30 lead with 18:03 remaining. Pacific then countered with an 8-3 run of their own to pull back to within three at 41-38 with 16:41 to go.
Over the next six minutes of action, the Toreros would build their lead back up to double digits at 54-44 on a Woodrow three-pointer with 10:09 to go. The Tigers made one last push over the next four minutes of play and would pull back to within two at 56-54 on a Peacon jumper with 6:51 remaining. But that is as close as they would get, as the Toreros then responded with an 8-0 run to regain a 10-point edge at 64-54 with 5:00 to go, and never looked back as they then cruised their way to a 72-61 win.
The Toreros will return to action on Thursday as they travel to Las Vegas to take on the Rebels of UNLV at 5 p.m.
