Feb. 25, 2012
Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. - Senior guard Dominique Conners took the team on her back, as she scored a game-high 22 points in helping lead the University of San Diego women's basketball team to a 51-46 win over the University of Portland in the regular-season finale Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Toreros tie a program record with 21 overall wins, and set a program record with12 WCC wins. Overall, USD is 21-7, 12-4 in the WCC and have finished in a tie for second with BYU. USD has earned the No. 3 seed in the upcoming WCC Tournament and has earned a one-round bye. The Toreros and will play on Friday at approximately 2:30 pm. against the winner of the Santa Clara and Portland match-up. The Pilots finish the regular-season with an 11-19 overall record and a 4-12 mark in the WCC.
Conners was easily the best player on the floor this afternoon, as she scored a game-high 22 points on 8-of-17 shooting form the filed, pulled down seven rebounds, dished out three assists and recorded three steals. Both Morgan Woodrow and Sophia Ederaine scored eight points a piece, and Ederaine recorded three blocks. As a team, USD shot 36% from the field, and out rebounded the Pilots 38-30.
In the first half, the Pilots were the ones who were clicking on all cylinders, as a Alexis Byrd jumper sparked a 14-6 run over the first 3:17 of the game to give the home team all the momentum.
San Diego had enough of that, as they dug in and went to work. A Klara Wischer lay-up at the 14:21 mark ignited a 17-3 Toreros run over the next nine minutes of action to give USD its biggest lead of the half at 23-17 with 5:31 to go. The two teams then traded basket-for-basket over the remaining five minutes of play, and Portland managed to cut the lead down to three at 27-24 heading into the break.
In the second half, the Pilots again were the ones clicking on all cylinders as they opened the frame on a 10-3 run to regain the momentum and take a 36-30 lead with 12:59 to go.
That was enough to once again wake up the Torero offense, as a Conners jumper sparked a 9-1 San Diego run, giving USD back the momentum and a 39-37 edge with 7:51 to go.
The Pilots would then manage to keep things close, and never let the Toreros get more than a five-point lead for the remainder of the game. However, on the flip side, the Toreros would not allow the Pilots to get any closer that three and held on to claim the 51-46 win.
Fort the Pilots, Natalie Day led the offensive charge, as she recorded 11 points on 3-of-11 shooting, and the only other player in double figures was Alexis Byrd, who scored 10 points. As a team ,the Pilots were held to 31% shooting from the field.
