Jan. 18, 2014
Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Dominate pressure defense in the second half, helped propel the University of San Diego women's basketball team to a thrilling 60-45 win over Brigham Young University Saturday afternoon in a West Coast Conference game at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
With the win, the Toreros improve to 16-2 overall, and move to 5-2 in the WCC, defeated BYU for the first time in school history, and snapped a two-game losing streak. With the loss, the Cougars fall to 14-4 overall and 4-3 in the WCC.
Offensively for the Toreros, Amy Kame led the way, as she scored 23 points on 8-of-19 shooting from the field, while also pulling down eight rebounds and recording six steals. Malina Hood scored 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting from the field, while recording two blocks and four steals.
Sophia Ederaine turned in a great performance as well with seven points, seven boards and a career-high five steals. As a team, USD shot 33.9% from the field, were out rebounded 37-32, and the Toreros recorded a season-high 21 steals. USD also out scored the Cougars 34-17 in the second half.
In the first half, it was a slow start for both teams, as through four minutes of action, the score was 6-4 in favor of BYU. The Cougars however, managed to get a pair of key post players for USD, in Felicia Wijenberg and Ederaine, in foul trouble early, drastically changing the pace of the game.
Then a Morgan Bailey free throw sparked a 5-0 Cougar run to give the visitors an 11-4 lead with 13:11 to go, forcing USD head coach Cindy Fisher to call a timeout.
Then after San Diego didn't score a basket over a seven minute period, an Ederaine lay-up over 6-for-7 center Jenifer Hamsen with 10:32 to go, sparked a 12-5 San Diego run over the span of four minutes to tie the game up at 16-all on a Kame jumper. The two teams then began to trade basket-for-basket over the remainder of the half, with the Cougars managing to take a 28-26 lead into the break.
In the second half, it was once again a slow start, as both teams shot a dismal 2-for-8 from the field over the first four minutes of play, with BYU holding onto the lead at 33-30 with 15:11 to go.
Then a Malina Hood 3-pointer, followed by a steal on the ensuing inbounds, and a Hood lay-up gave USD its first lead of the game at 35-33 with 14:20 to go. Then after a Cougar basket knotted the score at 35-all, an Ederaine 3-point play sparked a 11-0 Torero run to give USD all the momentum and a 46-35 lead with 10:39 to go.
The two teams then sea-sawed back and forth over the next seven minutes of action with the Toreros maintaining an 8-11 point lead for a majority of the time. San Diego never looked back, as they cruised their way to a 60-45 win.
The Toreros will return to action on Thursday, as they welcome Santa Clara University to town for a 6 p.m. WCC game.
