BOCA RATON, Fla. – San Diego surrendered a pair of big first-half runs and could not slow down a UIC shooting attack that finished the game 51.8% from the field as the Toreros lost their second game in a row, 89-83, on Monday in the Boca Raton Beach Classic at FAU Arena.
 
The Toreros (3-7) saw UIC (3-6) go on 25-3 and 10-2 runs during stretches of the first half after they opened the game by scoring 12 of the first 15 points. The biggest run lasted for nine minutes, starting at 15:24 with a layup – the Flames' first field goal since their initial one 45 seconds into the game – and ended when Tarkus Ferguson made one of UIC's eight three-pointers at 6:37 to make it 28-15.
 
Jared Rodriguez scored a season-high 22 points to lead a group of four Toreros with double-digit scoring. The redshirt sophomore was 7-of-14 from the field and 7-of-9 at the line to gather his first 20-point game as a Torero.
 
Joey Calcaterra (19), Marion Humphrey (17) and Braun Hartfield (14) joined Rodriguez in double figures. The three combined with Rodriguez to finish with 72 points on 25-of-56 shooting (44.6%).
 
Hartfield also added 10 rebounds to give him his second double-double in the last three games.
 
UIC, which snapped its three-game losing streak, had all nine of its players with points, including 20-point games by Jamie Ahale (23) and Ferguson (22).
 
After the Toreros fell behind 13 points following the 25-3 run, they pulled as close as seven when Hartfield finished a layup to cut it to 32-25 with just under four minutes remaining. UIC responded, though, with another three-pointer by Ferguson to make it a double-digit lead once again. The three-pointer was one of five for the Flames in the first half while the Toreros had none on seven attempts.
 
The Toreros' first three-pointer did not occur until the 8:54 mark in the second half when Rodriguez hit one from the right wing to make it 68-53 UIC. They missed their first 11 attempts while the Flames had made seven at that point.
 
The three by Rodriguez trimmed UIC's largest lead of the night (18), but it was not until the final two minutes when USD was able to cut the game closer. Down 78-64 with 1:45 left, free throws and a three-pointer by Calcaterra helped bring the score to 79-69. After the Flames converted a pair of free throws to make it a 12-point lead, Marion Humphrey drove to the basket and finished a layup despite being fouled to make it a 10-point game again. Humphrey missed the free throw attempt, but Hartfield grabbed the offensive rebound and drew a foul, where he connected on both of his free throws to make it a four-point sequence and bring the Toreros to within single digits, 81-73, with 49 seconds remaining.
 
UIC staved off the Toreros, though, by making its free throws in the final minute. Despite a three-pointer by Calcaterra and dunk by Humphrey that both made it a seven-point game, the Flames did not miss any of their last 10 free throws and finished 23-of-29 at the line for the night.
 
Both sides shot 50% in the second half, with the Toreros going 18-of-36 from the field. They finished the game shooting 42.6% (29-of-68).
 
USD returns home for its next game as it will wrap up its four-game stint within the Boca Raton Beach Classic with a matchup against Holy Cross on Saturday at 7 p.m.
 
 
NOTES
Braun Hartfield, who averaged 16.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in the two days of the Boca Raton Beach Classic, was named to the All-Tournament Team.
 
Joey Calcaterra scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half. He also had seven rebounds.
 
Marion Humphrey had five of his 11 second-half points in the final eight seconds. He finished with 17 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds and a steal.
 
Jared Rodriguez also had six rebounds and a block to go with his 22 points.
 
USD is shooting 44.7% from the field (110-of-246) in the last four games.