San Diego (11-4)
Santa Clara (8-6)
Leavey Center (4,700)  •  Santa Clara, Calif.  •  7 p.m. PT
Live Stream  •  TheW.tv  |  Radio  •  Mighty 1090AM  |  Live Statistics  •  USDToreros.com
Social  •  Twitter.com/USDMBB  •  Instagram.com/USDMBB

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SAN DIEGO – San Diego begins 2019 with its WCC opener at Santa Clara on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT.
 
The Toreros (11-4) begin the New Year after wrapping up 2018 with a victory against Grand Canyon, 61-58. USD will take on a hot Broncos (8-6) team that enters the matchup on a five-game winning streak.
 
The game will be streamed on TheW.tv and broadcast on Mighty 1090AM with Jack Cronin on the radio call. Live statistics will be available via USDToreros.com.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• Isaiah Pineiro recorded his third double-double of the year and hit a pair of clutch 3-pointers down the stretch to propel San Diego to a 61-58 victory against Grand Canyon on the final Saturday night of 2018 at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
 
• With the Toreros trailing by one point with 2:20 to play, Pineiro drained a 3-pointer with less than 10 seconds remaining on the shot clock to put USD back in front, 58-56.
 
• After the Lopes (7-6) Alessandro Lever knocked down a pair of free throws with 1:15 remaining to tie the game, Pinero delivered the deciding basket when he connected on his second 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to retake the lead, 61-58.
 
•  Pineiro finished the game with 17 points and tied his career high of 12 rebounds.
 
• Olin Carter III led the Toreros with 19 points and tied his career high of seven rebounds. It was the fourth consecutive game Carter III has registered 18 or more points.
 
• Tyler Williams tied his season high of eight rebounds and added a team-high four assists and eight points.
 
• The Toreros improved to 8-0 at home this season and concluded its nonconference slate with an 11-4 record.

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ALL-TIME SERIES VS. SANTA CLARA
• USD is 37-47 all-time against the Broncos and have split the regular-season series in each of the past two seasons.
 
PINEIRO AND CARTER III LEAD THE WAY
• Isaiah Pineiro led the Toreros in scoring in eight-of-15 games and Olin Carter III has led USD in six games, including the past two.
 
•  Pineiro is averaging 20.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. He is also averaging 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Pineiro is shooting 53 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range.
 
• Carter III is averaging 17.4 points per game and is shooting 48 percent from the field. He has been one of USD's most dangerous shooter from behind the arc, connecting on 36 percent of his 3-point attempts. Carter III is also contributing 3.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
 
WRIGHT HEATING UP
• Wright started the season well but has excelled in the second half of the year so far. During a nine-game stretch from Nov.24-Dec. 23, he was shooting 46 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range, and averaging 15.4 points, 5.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals.
 
• Wright was contributing 13.2 points, 5.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game on the season.
 
• Wright sustained a wrist injury during the Toreros game against Drake (Dec. 23) and is expected to be out for a couple of weeks.
 
NUMBERS UP FOR MASSALSKI
•  Yauhen Massalski increased nearly every offensive and defensive numbers through the first six games this season. He was 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.)
 
•  Massalski was limited to three minutes of playing time in the Toreros seventh game of the season at Ole Miss due to injury. He returned to action Dec. 12 at Oregon when he came off the bench and played 16 minutes.
 
•  Massalski had his best game since returning from injury against Drake (Jan. 23) when he contributed 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting and four rebounds.
 
BALANCED PLAY BY WILLIAMS
• Tyler Williams does a little of everything for the Toreros on both sides of the floor. He is averaging 8.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He holds a 2.9 assists to turnover ratio.
 
EFFICIENCY IS KEY FOR FLORESCA
• Through the first six games of the season, Alex Floresca was one of the Toreros most efficient players. He was averaging 6.2 points and 3.3 rebounds in 16.0 minutes per game. He shot 71 percent (15-of-21) from the field and was 3-of-5 (60 percent) from behind the arc.
 
• His minutes significantly increased with the injury to Massalski and has averaged 26.8 minutes in the past nine games. On the season, Floresca is averaging 6.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in 22.5 minutes.
 
FINISHING STRONG
• USD has outscored opponents 613-537 during the second half this season. The Toreros are shooting 51 percent from the field and 43 percent from 3-point range during second halves this season. They are holding opponents to 45 percent from the field and 34 percent from behind the arc.
 
NARROW DEFEATS AWAY FROM HOME
• All four losses this year have come away from home by 10 points or less. USD's first two losses this year were by a combined 10 points, dropping a 66-63 decision at Washington and falling 93-86 at Ole Miss. The Toreros lost 65-55 on the road at Oregon, and dropped a neutral site game in double-overtime to Drake, 110-103.