USDvsDENVER2015

GAME #8: The USD Toreros (3-5) will put their three-game winning streak up against the Denver Pioneers (5-3) this coming Wednesday, December 9th, in a 7:05 p.m. contest at the Jenny Craig Pavilion (5,100 capacity).

SERIES RECORD: This is the second meeting between these two programs with Denver owning a 1-0 series lead... The Pioneers defeated the Toreros 54-51 in the USD Sports Center on January 13, 1983.

RADIO/VIDEO STREAM: All USD home and away games will be broadcast live on ESPN 1700AM with Jack Cronin (2nd season) bringing you all the action; his pre-game show airs 10 minutes prior to tip-off. The contest will also be broadcast on TheW.tv.

WCC STANDINGS (thru Dec. 7th): Saint Mary's (6-0), BYU (5-2), Gonzaga (5-2), LMU (5-3), San Francisco (5-4), Pepperdine (4-4), Portland (4-5), San Diego (3-5), Santa Clara (2-7), Pacific (1-6).

WCC COACHES PRESEASON POLL: The Toreros were picked 9th in the 2015-16 WCC Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches Poll... Team (First Place Vote) - 1. Gonzaga (9), 81 points; 2. BYU (2), 73 points; 3. Pepperdine, 62 points; 4. Saint Mary's, 58 points; 5. Portland, 43 points; 6. Santa Clara, 37points; 7. Pacific, 32 points; 7. San Francisco, 32 points; 9. San Diego, 17 points; 10. Loyola Marymount, 15 points.

COACH SMITH (1ST YEAR): Coach Lamont Smith (San Diego, 1998) is in his first head coaching position and comes from New Mexico where he was the Associate Head Coach... Prior to that he spent time at Washington, Arizona State, Santa Clara, Saint Mary's College and Saint Louis University... Smith, 40, returns to USD where he was a member of the men's basketball team from 1994-99... He started all 27 games his senior year in 1998-99 for the 18-9 Toreros... He was named the Toreros' Defensive Player of the Year in 1997 and 1999 and served as the team captain from 1997-99... Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of San Diego in 1998... Lamont and his wife Kimberly have two daughters -- Payton and Olivia.

TOREROS STUN SDSU AZTECS IN CITY CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: The USD Toreros pulled off a stunning victory with Sunday's 53-48 victory over the San Diego State Aztecs in the first collegiate basketball game played at Petco Park. Senior wing Duda Sanadze scored a game-high 15 points and freshman point guard Olin Carter III added 12 points, all coming in the first half. The win snapped SDSU's 9-game winning streak in the City Championship series. It was all USD in the first half as the Toreros took a commanding 31-13 halftime lead. Carter III buried 4-of-5 treys in the first 20 minutes and Sanadze added 9 points with three of his own long balls. For the half USD connected on 7-of-16 three-pointers. After taking a brief 21-point lead early in the second half, the Toreros still were leading 43-26 with 11:13 to go. Over the next 10 minutes the Aztecs stormed back with a 19-3 run to get within one at 46-45 with 1:16 left. From there the Toreros were able to regroup and make 5-of-6 free throws and then ice the game with a Brett Bailey dunk just before the final buzzer.

TORERO TIDBITS
* Senior wing Duda Sanadze buried 5-of-10 three-pointers in USD's win over San Diego State... The five made treys in a game is a personal-best for him... His previous mark was 4 makes on 9 attempts beyond the arc at New Mexico (11-30-13) in a 73-66 loss to the Lobos... In that contest Sanadze finished with 18 points... Through eight games Sanadze is leading the team in scoring at 14.1 ppg (tie-12th in the WCC)... Duda's 5 steals against SDSU was a personal-best for him and just two off the Torero single game mark... He has scored 20 or more three times this season with two games of 21 (SJSU / Bethesda).

* In their current three-game winning streak the Toreros are being paced by Duda Sanadze (16.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 8 steals)... USD has also used a balanced attack with five players averaging between 6.7 ppg to 8.0 ppg - Marcus Harris (8.0 ppg), Jito Kok (7.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 9 blocks), Brandon Perry (7.0 ppg), Olin Carter III (6.7 ppg) and Brett Bailey (6.7 ppg)... As a team during this run the Toreros are averaging 62.0 points while limiting their opponents on average to 54.3... In the team's first five contests the Toreros averaged 57.2 ppg, but gave up an average of 73.4 ppg to its opponents.

* Senior center Jito Kok ranks 1st in the WCC (#34 in nation) in blocked shots at 2.4 per game (19 in 8 contests)... He owns all three USD records for blocked shots - single game: 8 vs. LMU, 1-8-15; single season: 75 in 2014-15; career: 212 and counting... In the home win over Bethesda, Kok pulled down a season-best 11 rebounds, just one off his career-high of 12 vs. Northern Kentucky (11-16-13).

* Freshman point guard Olin Carter III has started all eight games during his rookie season... He has proven to be a solid rebounder for the Toreros having grabbed 7 rebounds in three different contests (USC, Drexel, Bethesda)... His 4.5 rebounds per game average ranks just behindjunior forward Brett Bailey (4.8) and senior wing Duda Sanadze (4.6)... Carter played a huge role in USD's upset over the Aztecs on Sunday... He made 4-of-5 three-pointers in the first half as USD bolted to a 31-13 intermission lead; and he had just 2 turnovers in 35 minutes of action against the Aztecs pressure and full court presses.

* Junior forward Brett Bailey turned in a solid game against the Aztecs with 8 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists in 32 minutes of action... Besides his game-ending dunk that sealed the victory with one second to go, Bailey grabbed three offensive rebounds with two resulting in Torero points in the first half... His offensive rebound following a Marcus Harris three-point miss led to two free throws by Harris giving the Toreros a 13-6 lead (8:25)... And with 6 seconds left he grabbed a Sanadze missed free throw and converted it into a bucket for USD's 31-13 intermission lead... For the game USD had 11 offensive rebounds to SDSU's 10... Bailey has led the team in rebounding three times this season - Western Michigan (6), San Jose State (8) and San Diego State (7).

* The Toreros are now 2-0 against San Diego State when playing at a neutral site... Besides Sunday's win, USD defeated the Aztecs at the then-San Diego Sports Arena (85-60 win on Dec. 1, 1992).

SCOUTING THE DENVER PIONEERS: The Denver Pioneers are off to a 5-3 start under head coach Joe Scott (9th season, 135-120; Princeton '87)... Following a 71-58 loss to Milwaukee in their season opener, the Pioneers rattled off five straight wins including a 55-33 win over WCC foe Santa Clara... Denver comes to town looking to snap a two-game skid following home losses to Wyoming (68-52; 12-2-15) and Air Force (61-59; 12-5-15)... In their most recent outing against Air Force, Denver received a game-high 20 points off the bench from senior guard Nate Engesser (7-9 from field; 5-5 from free throw line)... For the season Denver is being led by Engesser (15.1 ppg) and senior starting guard Bryant Rucker (10.0 ppg)... The Pioneers, who run the disciplined Princeton offense, are averaging 66.1 ppg while holding their opponents on average to 61.1 ppg.

A LOOK AHEAD: The Toreros will close out their nonconference slate with two games against UC Davis (Dec. 15, 7:30 pm) and Cal State Northridge (Dec. 23, 7pm)... The WCC schedule gets underway with road games at Pacific (Dec. 31, 6 p.m.) and Saint Mary's College (Jan. 2, 7:00 p.m.).