San Diego (15-8, 4-4 WCC)
Loyola Marymount (16-7, 4-5 WCC)
Gersten Pavilion • Los Angeles, Calif. • 7 p.m. PT
Watch • TheW.tv |
Radio • Mighty 1090AM |
Live Statistics • USDToreros.com
Social • Twitter.com/USDMBB • Instagram.com/USDMBB
SAN DIEGO – San Diego continues a three-game road stretch when it travels to Loyola Marymount on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT.
The Toreros (15-8, 4-4 WCC) have won two of their past three games but are coming off an 85-69 loss at No. 4 Gonzaga. The Lions (16-7, 4-5 WCC) have also won two of their past three but lost their most recent game at BYU, 67-49. It will be a tough road test for USD with LMU holding a 10-1 home record this season.
The game will be streamed on TheW.tv with Ari Wolfe (play-by-play), Dave Miller (analyst) and Sammy O'Brien (reporter) on the call. Jack Cronin will have the radio broadcast on Mighty 1090 AM. Live statistics will be available via USDToreros.com.
LAST TIME OUT
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Isaiah Pineiro tied his career high of 30 points but it was not enough as San Diego fell 85-69 at No. 4 Gonzaga this past Saturday at the McCarthey Athletic Center.
• Pineiro hit a 3-pointer with 7:56 to play to cut the Toreros deficit to 61-53. However, the Bulldogs responded with a 17-4 run to take a commanding 78-57 lead with 3:08 to play.
• USD could not close the gap and the Bulldogs let by at least 16 points the remainder of the game.
• There were plenty of bright spots for the Toreros despite the loss. The Toreros shot 50 percent (6-of-12) from 3-point range in the first half and 50 percent (12-of-24) from the field in the second half. USD finished the night at 46 percent from the field and 44 percent from long distance.
• Pineiro and
Isaiah Wright played all 40 minutes and were excellent on both ends of the floor.
• Pineiro added 11 rebounds to his 30 points for his eighth double-double of the season. He went 5-of-8 from 3-point range.
• Wright added 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting and knocked down 2-of-4 from behind the arc. He chipped in a team-high four assists.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT
• USD is 51-49 all-time against the Lions and are 4-1 in their past five meetings.
• USD defeated LMU at home earlier this season 71-58.
Tyler Williams scored a team-high 14 points and was oen of fourToreros to reach double-digits in scoring.
Isaiah Pineiro added 13 points, while
Joey Calcaterra and
Yauhen Massalski chipped in 12 apiece.
PINEIRO AND CARTER III LEAD THE WAY
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Isaiah Pineiro has led the Toreros in scoring in 13-of-23 games and
Olin Carter III has led USD in six games.
• Pineiro is averaging 19.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. He is also averaging 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Pineiro is shooting 52 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3-point range.
• Pineiro registered four double-doubles during a five-game span (vs. Grand Canyon, at Santa Clara, vs. Pacific, at Portland) from Jan. 3-18. He averaged 17.2 points and 11.2 rebounds per game during that stretch. Pineiro leads the Toreros with eight double-doubles on the season.
• Pineiro ranks among the top-five of WCC players in rebounding (2nd, 8.9), defensive rebounds (2nd, 6.9) and scoring (4th, 19.9).
• Carter III is averaging 16.5 points per game and is shooting 47 percent from the field. He has been one of USD's most dangerous shooter from behind the arc, connecting on 34 percent of his 3-point attempts. Carter III is also contributing 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
• Carter III left the game against Pepperdine (Jan. 12) midway through the second half due to an abdomen injury. He status to return is day-to-day.
WRIGHT RETURNS
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Isaiah Wright returned to the lineup against Portland (Jan. 17) after missing four games due to a wrist injury sustained during the Toreros game against Drake (Dec. 23). Wright was excellent in his return, recording 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
• Wright started the season well but began gaining steam right before his injury. 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 is contributing 13.3 points, 4.6 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game on the season.
NUMBERS UP FOR MASSALSKI
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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 is averaging 7.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. He is second among all WCC players in field-goal percentage at 67 percent and third in blocked shots with 1.6 per game.
BALANCED PLAY BY WILLIAMS
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Tyler Williams does a little of everything for the Toreros on both sides of the floor. He is averaging 9.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He holds a 2.3 assists to turnover ratio. He is shooting a team-best 39 percent from 3-point range.
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. On the season, Floresca is averaging 5.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in 19.7 minutes.
FINISHING STRONG
• USD has outscored opponents 932-824 during the second half this season. The Toreros are shooting 51 percent from the field and 41 percent from 3-point range during second halves this season. They are holding opponents to 44 percent from the field and 32 percent from behind the arc.
• In the final five minutes of games, USD is shooting 51 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range. They are holding opponents to 45 percent from the field and 30 percent from 3-point range.
Isaiah Wright is shooting 68 percent overall down the stretch and 56 percent from behind the arc, while
Isaiah Pineiro is connecting at 62 percent from the field and 56 percent from long distance.
TOREROS AMONG WCC LEADERS
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Isaiah Pineiro (4th, 19.9) and Olin Carter (9th, 16.5) are among the top-10 in scoring among all WCC players this season. USD, Gonzaga, Saint Mary's and BYU are the only teams with two players ranked among the top-10 in scoring.
