Final Stats

USDvsPACbox2015

STOCKTON â€" The USD Toreros turned in a strong second half performance but in the end came up short in dropping a hard-fought 77-75 decision to the Pacific Tigers. Sophomore guard Vasa Pusica scored a team-high 15 points and was followed by Jito Kok and Cameron Neubauer, each with 11 points. Pacific received a game-high 19 points from guard Ray Bowles.

Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, but Pacific (3-9, 2-1 WCC) was able to pull ahead to a 34-25 lead at the halftime break. USD managed to shoot just 22.6% from the field (7-31) and 2-13 from beyond the three-point arc. The host Tigers connected on 50% of their first half shots (13-26) in building a 9-point lead at the break.

It was a different story for USD over the final 20 minutes as they scored 50 points on 14-30 shooting from the field (46.7%), 6-12 from beyond the arc (50%) and a solid 16-19 from the charity stripe (84.2%). A Vasa Pusica three-pointer pulled USD to within 40-39 at the 13:03 mark, and a Brett Bailey layup at 11:10 gave USD its first lead of the game at 46-44.

With 7:27 to go in the game the Toreros led by as many as five points (56-51), but over the next 2:12 the Tigers used a 9-0 run to go back up 60-56. A Pusica lay-in with 24 ticks left pulled USD to within 72-67, but Pacific made 5-6 free throws in the closing seconds. A Pusica three-pointer from near the halfcourt line just before the final buzzer made the final score 77-75.

The Toreros (5-7, 0-1 WCC) begin the New Year with a January 2nd contest at Saint Mary's at 7:05 pm.