Feb. 6, 2014

Box Score

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - The University of San Diego women's basketball team launched a furious comeback after being down by 13 with 7:13 to go, but the rally came up short in a shocking 78-74 loss to the University of San Francisco Thursday evening at War Memorial Gym.

With the loss, the Toreros have now dropped three consecutive contests for the first time all season, and fall to 18-5 overall and 7-5 in the WCC. USD also remains winless on the road in conference games. With the win, the Dons improve to 9-14 overall and 4-8 in the WCC.

With the Toreros down 13 and 7:13 to go, San Diego turned up the defensive pressure, which led to offense, as a Malina Hood 3-pointer sparked a 20-8 Torero run over the span of seven minutes to pull San Diego to within one at 75-74 with 16 seconds left. After USF hit a pair of free throws to put the Toreros back down three, there was a questionable call made, as the ball went out of bounds, apparently off of USF, underneath the Torero basket with just three seconds left. After the officials reviewed the play, the ball was given to USF, and USD had no choice but to foul on the inbounds, and San Francisco's Taylor Proctor hit one of two free throws to seal the win for the Dons.

Amy Kame led the Toreros scoring effort with 28 points on 5-of-18 shooting from the field, while also pulling down eight rebounds and recording four steals. Hood scored 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field, and Brooke Jelniker recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. As a team, USD shot 35.9% from the field, and out rebounded the visitors 49-30.

Zhane Dikes led the offensive effort for the Dons, as she scored 28 points on 6-of-12 shooting form the field, while three other San Francisco players scored in double figures as well. As a team, the Dons shot 43.2% from the field.

In the first half, it was a back and forth contest, and USD would be in control of the lead for a majority of the frame. The Toreros would build up its biggest lead of the game at 15-8 with 12:04 to go on a Kame jumper. But USD would then see that lead disappear, as USF went on an 11-0 run to take the lead at 19-15 with 8:37 to go. USD would regain the lead just one more time in the first half at 23-22 on a Kame jumper with 4:51 to go, before the Dons would go on to take a 38-32 lead into the break.

San Diego would turn up the defensive pressure in the second half, and managed to take the lead at 47-46 on a Jelniker lay-up with 12:35 to go. But this was short lived, as San Francisco would go on a 17-3 run to take a 13-point lead, setting up the USD late rally that fell short.

The Toreros will return to action on Saturday, as they remain in the Bay Area, and head over to Santa Clara, seeking their first WCC road win in a 2 p.m. game at the Leavey Center.