Box Score

USDvsBYUfeb18

SAN DIEGO â€" The USD Toreros almost pulled off a big upset against the BYU Cougars but came up short in the end by falling 69-67 before 3,056 fans at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. The Torero defense did a solid job in limiting the Cougars to 15 points under their average, but didn't have an answer for Kyle Collinsworth who finished with 25 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. These two teams meet up again on Saturday in Provo.

For San Diego (8-18, 3-12 WCC), sophomore guard Vasa Pusica paced four Toreros in double digits with 17 points. He was followed by Duda Sanadze (16 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists), Olin Carter (15 points) and Cameron Neubauer (11 points, 3-3 in threes). USD out-rebounded the Cougars 42-33, but 20 turnovers that led to 18 points for BYU did not help the Toreros cause.

In the first half USD jumped out to a commanding 15-4 lead before BYU scored the next seven points. The Toreros would again pull away, this time by 13 points at 32-19 with 5:30 left in the half. From their BYU closed with an 8-0 run that was capped off by a Jordan Chatman three with five ticks left for the 32-27 halftime score.

BYU (20-8, 11-4 WCC) came out in the second half with a 7-0 run that combined their total run to 15-0 in taking a 34-32 lead with 16:31 left in the game. From there the game stayed close. Cameron Neubauer's three with 14:57 left gave USD a 38-36 advantage, but with 14:01 to go BYU would convert three straight free throws (two coming off a technical foul). San Diego would battle back and tie the game on four occasions, but never get over the hump to take a lead. Down 68-64 with 18 seconds left, Pusica would bury a three with seven seconds to go (68-67), but Nick Emery would make one of two free throws with three seconds. Vasa Pusica rebounded Emery's miss but his long half court attempt was off the mark.

Jito Kok added three more blocked shots to run his career total to 258. That moves him into a tie for second overall among WCC players with Omar Samhan of Saint Mary's. USF's Hondre Brewer is the all-time leader with 279.