Feb. 3, 2011

Box Score

(Los Angeles, CA) - Junior guard Dominique Conners scored a game-high 25 points and set a new career mark with 8 assists as the USD Toreros (12-10; 2-6 wcc) opened up the second half of league play with a solid 77-72 victory over the LMU Lions (10-12; 4-4 WCC). The Toreros found themselves down 5 points at the break (38-33), but shot 57.7% from the field over the final 20 minutes to outscore the host Lions by 10 points in the second half.

USD's starting backcourt of Sam Child and Morgan Woodrow also played a key role in the victory as both players reached double digits in scoring. Woodrow chipped in with 17 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the field, while Child added 16 points. Child was joined by Emily Hatch as team leaders in the rebounding department with 6 caroms.

In the second half the Toreros knotted the score at 47-all on a free throw by Conners with 14:49 to go. A three-pointer from Woodrow gave USD a 50-47 advantage, and the Toreros extended it to 4 points (54-50) before the Lions stormed back to take a 5 point lead on two different occasions, the last at 65-60 with 7:20 left. From there USD erased its deficit with four straight free throws and a jumper by Conners for a 66-65 lead with 5:25 to go.

Over the final 5 minutes the Toreros were the better team as they outscored the Lions 11-7. Back-to-back layups by Kameron Knutson (7 points, 5 rebounds) and Child, followed by two more free throws increased USD's lead back up to a 7-point advantage, 74-67. LMU closed to within three at 75-72 on a Jessica Vargas layup with 7 ticks left on the clock, but after being fouled with 5 seconds to go, Child clutched up and cashed in on both free throws for the final 77-72 victory. LMU received a solid effort from guard Renahy Young with 24 points.

USD will now head to Malibu, California where they will take on the Pepperdine Waves on Saturday in a 2:00 p.m. contest.