Final Stats

USD vs LMU Box Jan 27

LOS ANGELES â€" Junior forward Isaiah Pineiro scored a season-high 29 points as the Toreros swept the regular-season series with Loyola Marymount with an 89-82 win today at Gersten Pavilion. Four other Toreros reached double-digits â€" Isaiah Wright (15 points), Tyler Williams (11 points), Olin Carter III (10 points) and Yauhen Massalski (10 points). Cameron Neubauer came off the bench to chip in 9 points including two three-pointers in the first half. The win improves USD's record to 15-7 overall and 6-4 in the WCC standings.

"I was really really happy with our play today," said head coach Lamont Smith on the post-game radio show with Jack Cronin. "I don't think the final score was quite indicative of the game. I thought from start to finish our guys controlled the game and I thought that might be our best 40 minutes of basketball since our San Francisco game. A lot of guys contributed and I thought Yauhen came off the bench and was terrific. Isaiah Pineiro was locked in from start to finish and when your quarterback (Isaiah Wright) can have 15 points, three assists and just one turnover; that really gives you a chance to win. I'm really proud of our group and I thought our leadership was outstanding."

In the first half the Toreros found themselves down 15-9 early, but responded with a 12-0 run and eventual 23-3 run that put them in control. Isaiah Pineiro's three-ball at 11:33 gave USD its first double-digit lead at 22-12. Cameron Neubauer came in off the bench and contributed two three-pointers and a steal and assist that led to a Torero lay-up. USD's biggest lead of the game came at the 1:21 mark of the first half following two Pinero free throws that made it 47-24. Behind 13 points from Pineiro and 10 from Wright the Toreros would take a 47-31 intermission lead behind outstanding defense and shooting. USD converted 18-of-31 shots (.581), 7-of-14 threes (.500) and 4-of-5 free throws (.800).

After the break the Toreros would hold a 55-35 lead at the 16:00 mark following a dunk from Massalski. LMU's Eli Scott would get the Lions with single digits at 61-52 with 10:28 left but Tyler Williams would answer with a three-ball. Following a Lions' three-pointer from Steven Haney, Massalski would hit four straight free throws to push USD's lead back to 17 at 74-57 with just over six minutes to go. The Lions would get as close as five with six seconds to go on a three-point play from Scott inside, but Pineiro would ice the game with two free throws for the final 89-82 score.

For the game the Toreros shot 57.7% from the field (30-52), 43.8% from beyond the arc (12-26) and 88.2% from the charity stripe (17-22). Besides his season-high 29 points, Pineiro also dished out a season-high 9 assists. The Toreros dished out 24 assists on their 30 baskets and turned the ball over just ten times. LMU was paced by guard James Batemon with 25 points.

Up next for the Toreros is back-to-back games against top-20 programs. The week begins with a Thursday road tilt at Gonzaga (Feb. 1, 6:00 p.m.) followed by a Saturday home contest against the Saint Mary's Gaels (Feb. 3, 6:00 p.m.).