San Diego (5-1)
Ole Miss (3-2)
The Pavilion at Ole Miss (9,500) • Oxford, Miss. • 4:30 p.m. PT
Live Stream ($) • SEC Network+ |
Radio • ESPN 1700AM |
Live Statistics • USDToreros.com
Social • Twitter.com/USDMBB • Instagram.com/USDMBB
SAN DIEGO – San Diego will look to extend its three-game winning streak when it travels to Ole Miss on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. PT.
It will be the first meeting in history between the Toreros (5-1) and the Rebels (3-2).
USD won a pair of games last week, defeating Colorado (70-64) and Jackson State (76-58) at home. Ole Miss went 2-1 this past week with victories against Nicholls (75-55) and Baylor (78-70), and a loss against Cincinnati (71-57).
The game will streamed on SEC Network+ with Seth Austin (PxP) and Sean Tuohy (Color Analyst) on the call. Jack Cronin will call the radio broadcast on ESPN 1700AM. Live statistics will be available via USDToreros.com.
LAST TIME OUT
•
Isaiah Pineiro scored a game-high 26 points and
Isaiah Wright added a season-best 20 points to lead San Diego to a 76-58 victory against Jackson State this past Saturday night at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
• The duo powered the Toreros (5-1) to their third straight win at home. USD has started the season with a 5-1 record for the second straight year.
• While the Toreros finished the game with an 18-point advantage, they had to deal with a resilient Tigers (1-5) team that started hot and made it a one-possession game multiple times in the second half.
• Pineiro and Wright did a little bit of everything for USD. Pineiro was one rebound shy of a double-double with nine, had two assists, two blocks and one steal. Wright led USD with five assists and chipped in four rebounds and a steal.
•
Yauhen Massalski and
Tyler Williams were strong on the glass. Massalski grabbed five boards – three defensive and two offensive – while Williams pulled down four on the defensive end.
•
Alex Floresca continued to be one of the Toreros most efficient players, posting seven points on 2-for-4 shooting, and five rebounds in 19 minutes of action. He knocked down his only 3-point attempt and went 2-for-2 from the free throw line.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. OLE MISS
• This will be the first meeting between the two programs.
HOT STARTS FOR PINEIRO AND CARTER III
•
Isaiah Pineiro led the Toreros in scoring in four of the first six games and
Olin Carter III has led the team in the other two contests.
• Pineiro is nearly averaging a double-double with 22.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. He is also averaging 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Pineiro is shooting 54 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3-point range.
• Carter III is averaging 16.8 points per game and is shooting 51 percent from the field. He has been one of USD's most dangerous shooter from behind the arc, connecting on 39 percent of his 3-point attempts. Carter III is also contributing 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
NUMBERS UP FOR MASSALSKI
•
Yauhen Massalski has increased nearly every offensive and defensive numbers through the first six games this season. He is averaging 8.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.5 blocks and is shooting 70 percent from the field. (2017-18 » 4.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 65 FG pct.)
BALANCED PLAY BY WILLIAMS
•
Tyler Williams does a little of everything for the Toreros on both sides of the floor. He is averaging 6.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists. He holds a 4.6 assists to turnover ratio.
EFFICIENCY IS KEY FOR FLORESCA
•
Alex Floresca is averaging 16.0 minutes per game and making the most of it. He's shooting 71 percent (15-of-21) from the field and is 3-of-5 (60 percent) from 3-point range. He's averaging 3.3 rebounds per game.
FINISHING STRONG
• USD has outscored opponents 244-178 during the second half this season. The Toreros are shooting 48 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3-point range during second halves this season. They are holding opponents to 39 percent from the field and 26 percent from behind the arc.
PAC-12 SCHEDULE
• The Toreros traveled to Washington on Nov. 12 (L, 66-63) and played host to Colorado on Nov. 20 (W, 70-64). USD will head to Oregon on Dec. 12 take on Washington State on Dec. 22 in Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of the Las Vegas Classic.
SENIORS LEAD THE WAY
• The Toreros are led by four returning senior starters,
Isaiah Pineiro,
Isaiah Wright,
Olin Carter III and
Tyler Williams. Pineiro, Wright and Carter III played in all 34 games last year, while Williams appeared in 29 contests.
"USD'S NBA MAFIA" - TOREROS IN THE NBA
• USD is one of two programs in the country to have two alums as current head coaches of NBA teams – David Fizdale with the New York Knicks and James Borrego with the Charlotte Hornets. The other school is Arizona with Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors) and Luke Walton (Los Angeles Lakers).
• Fizdale played with the Toreros from 1992-96 and began his coaching career at USD during 1998-2002. As a player, he was a three-year starting point guard and earned All-WCC honors during his senior season in 1995-96. Fizdale ranks third all-time in USD career assists.
• Borrego played at USD from 1998-2001 and also began his coaching career with the Toreros (2001-03). As a player, he walked-on to the program, redshirted one season, then played limited minutes the next two years. He was well respected by teammates, and despite his limited playing time, was selected as a team captain during the 2000-01 season.
• Fizdale, Borrego and current USD head coach,
Sam Scholl, were all on then-head coach Brad Holland's coaching staff during the 2001-02 season. Fizdale and Scholl were roommates during that season. Fizdale was the best man in Scholl's wedding.
• The duo are part of a group that refer to themselves as the "USD NBA Mafia." Five former USD players have gone on to become NBA head coaches, including Bernie Bickerstaff, Eric Musselman, Mike Brown, Fizdale and Borrego.
TOREROS SIGN THREE
• USD signed three guards to its Class of 2023, including Mikal Gjerde, Marion Humphrey and Sabry Philip.
• Coach Scholl on the group – "Our staff and program couldn't be more excited about these three young men becoming Toreros. They all are high character men that come from amazing families. They have pride in their academics and really value the opportunity to receive a USD education."
• More Scholl – "They are talented basketball players who have high ceilings in this game and each of them is ready to make an impact from the moment they step foot on campus. Torero fans are going to enjoy cheering for these three."
JACOB GEORGE JOINS TOREROS THROUGH TEAM IMPACT
• San Diego added one more member to its team this season with the addition of, Jacob George, a 13-year-old from Escondido, California, who is courageously battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
• He joined USD through Team IMPACT, a national nonprofit that matches children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses with college sports teams to foster confidence, optimism and a sense of belonging.
• George signed his National Letter of Intent during a post-practice press conference held in the Jenny Craig Pavilion media room before the season in front of his family and new teammates. George was then escorted to the team locker room where he was given his own locker, a USD jersey and gear for the upcoming season.
