SAN DIEGO – Three Toreros scored in double figures, led by Yauhen Massalski's 12, and the defense surrendered its fewest points in nearly two years as San Diego took down Holy Cross 68-51 in the final game of the Boca Raton Beach Classic on Saturday at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
 
The USD (4-7) bench contributed 33 points in the 17-point win, including the dozen by Massalski and 11 from Braun Hartfield. The game was Massalski's first since the season opener on November 5 while the appearance off the bench was the first of the year for Hartfield.
 
Massalski added a team-high eight rebounds and a block in 21 minutes in his return.
 
Finn Sullivan, who started in place of Hartfield, had a season-high 10 points in 30 minutes, also a personal-best for the season.
 
The Toreros had the game in control for much of the night as they led for nearly 33 minutes, shot over 54% from the field in the first half, and were up by double-digits for the final 12 minutes. The lead was as big as 19 points on three occasions.
 
San Diego finished the night shooting 48.1% from the field (26-of-54) – its second-best shooting performance of the season – and limited Holy Cross (1-8) to 37.9% shooting.
 
Defensively, the 51 points allowed by USD were the fewest since December 2017.
 
The first half was a slow start for the Toreros as they found themselves trailing by six after six minutes. However, with a pair of free throws by James Jean-Marie, USD took the lead with a 10-2 run. Massalski had four points over the stretch.
 
The two sides went back-and-forth until a Sabry Philip pull-up jumper on the wing gave the Toreros a lead they would never relinquish with 7:15 left in the first half. They stretched it to as much 11 going into halftime when Hartfield generated a steal and finished on the other end with a dunk to make it 37-26.
 
The Crusaders did take advantage of a three-minute scoreless stretch by the Toreros early in the second half to pull within four at 42-38, but keyed by a Hartfield defensive rebound and subsequent jump shot, they returned their advantage back to double-digits starting at the 11:55 mark.
 
San Diego went on to make four of its next shots, with Hartfield and Massalski combining to score nine of the 11 points, to establish a 19-point lead at 57-38 with 9:35 remaining. Noel Coleman, who had eight points and a season-high five assists on the bench, had the other two points during the run.
 
The Toreros will play on the road for their next game as they will compete at Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday, December 11 at 7 p.m.
 
 
NOTES
Holy Cross was only 4-of-13 (30.8%) from the free throw line. USD, meanwhile, was 11-of-22 (50%).
 
Noel Coleman scored five of his eight points at the free throw line. The freshman was 5-of-5 at the charity stripe.
 
The Toreros won the rebounding battle, 36-35.
 
James Jean-Marie scored nine, grabbed seven rebounds, had two blocks and accumulated a steal in 20 minutes.
 
USD is shooting 45.3% from the field (136-of-300) in the last five games.
 
With two school-site games and two contests in Florida, the Toreros finished the Boca Raton Beach Classic 2-2.
 
The 17-point win was San Diego's largest since beating BYU 80-57 in the WCC Tournament on March 9, 2019.
 
The last time USD held an opponent to 51 points or less was December 22, 2017 vs. Life Pacific (W, 94-51).