Jan. 7, 2012
Box Score
By Darren Feeney
In a game that was much closer than the final score would indicate, the University of San Diego Toreros couldn't quite keep pace with Loyola Marymount in a 79-68 defeat.
The Toreros (5-10, 0-3 WCC) surrendered 11 Lions' three-pointers and knocked down eight of their own in a fast-paced game.
After the Lions led 16-9 with 14:53 remaining in the first half, the Toreros clawed their way back into the game on a furious 19-5 run and led 28-21 with 8:34 to go.
Dennis Kramer provided a big lift during the Toreros' run. Kramer knocked down two threes and pulled down four rebounds in that stretch. He finished with 10 points and 5 rebounds
Loyola Marymount (9-7, 2-1 WCC) then closed out the half on a 15-3 run to lead 36-31.
The freshman backcourt of Johnny Dee and Christopher Anderson led the Toreros charge once again.
Dee had a game-high 24 points, including six three-pointers on six-of-twelve shooting from three-point range. It's Dee's fifth game of 22 or more points this season.
"Both Johnny and Chris are very competitive and they're playing their tails off," San Diego head coach Bill Grier said. "Johnny got caught up a little bit because he was feeling it. You got to live with a couple bad ones with a kid like that because he's so capable of shooting the ball well.
"The one thing that's hard to teach a guy, if he doesn't have it, is the competitive part. He and Chris both have it. They have a will to win."
Anderson was the usual floor general for San Diego. He played all 40 minutes and contributed 13 points, eight assists and four steals.
Cameron Miles came off the bench to chip in nine points and four assists.
Drew Viney was a force for the Lions. Viney had a team-high 20 points and eight rebounds and knocked down four three pointers. San Diego did a good job in the second half on Viney by limiting him to just seven points.
The Toreros hit the road next week and play at Santa Clara Thursday for a 7 p.m. tip-off and return to action the following Monday to host BYU.
