Nov. 29, 2013

Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Behind junior forward Katelyn McDaniel's first double-double of the season, the University of San Diego women's basketball team remained perfect on the season at 6-0, as they cruised to a 86-65 win over Hope International University Friday evening in a non-conference game at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.

With the win, not only did USD improve to 6-0, but it matches the best start in program history with the 2006-07 team. USD does return to action on Sunday with a 1 p.m. game against Weber State, and should USD win that game, they would be the first Torero team to ever open a season 7-0.

McDaniel recorded her first double-double of the season with a season-high 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, while pulling down 11 rebounds. Both Felicia Wijenberg and Sophia Ederaine added in 14 points a piece, while Malina Hood (11 points) and Kameron Knutson (12 points) were the final Toreros in double figures this evening. As a team, USD shot .486 from the field, and out rebounded the Royals 41-32.

For the Royals, Andrina Rendon scored a game-high 29 points on 12-of-18 shooting from the field, while Brittany Bauman was the only other player in double figures, as she scored 11. As a team, HIU shot .467 from the field.

In the first half, USD wasted no time, as they raced out to a 12-2 lead over the first 4:15 of action to take complete control of the momentum. USD and HIU them yo-yoed back and forth trading baskets over the next few minutes, as USD maintained a double-digit lead. USD would then begin to pull further and further ahead, and went on to build up a lead to as many as 19 on a pair of McDaniel free throws with 5:19 to go. USD never looked back, as they went into the locker room at halftime with a 54-36 advantage.

In the second half, the Royals came out on fire, as they went on a 7-0 run over the first 1:20 of play to cut the deficit down to 11 points on a Rendon 3-pinter. USD then began to hit their shots and held the Royals off, as they quickly pushed the lead back to 16 at 61-45 on a Wijenberg lay-up with 15:09 to go. USD then found themselves back up by 19 on a Hood 3-pointer with 10:28 to go, and never looked back. The Toreros would eventually build up a lead top as many as 25 on a Brooke Jelniker lay-up with 1:35 to go, before settling for the 86-65 win.