LOS ANGELES – San Diego saw a seven-point advantage erased by a 10-0 run from LMU midway through the second half as the Toreros lost in their WCC season opener, 64-58, on Thursday at Gersten Pavilion.
 
The Toreros (7-9, 0-1 WCC) limited the Lions (7-8, 1-0 WCC) to 31% shooting over the final eight minutes, but the USD offense only hit two field goals in the same time span to allow LMU to pull ahead.
 
Joey Calcaterra led the Toreros with 14 points, with the help of four three-pointers, and tied for the team lead in rebounds with six. The redshirt sophomore also had four assists.
 
Three other Toreros reached double-digits in scoring, including Yauhen Massalski with 12, James Jean-Marie with 11, and Braun Hartfield with 10.
 
USD held LMU to 35.7% shooting in the second half – and 40.4% for the entire game – to slow down the Lions offensively. LMU was also only 3-of-22 (13.6%) from three-point range.
 
The third Lions three-pointer was a difference maker, though, as it gave them a 52-49 lead with 7:56 remaining in the contest and capped the pivotal 10-0 run. Although the Toreros tied the game at 52-52 with a Calcaterra triple, the Lions never trailed after the three-pointer by Ivan Alipieve with just under eight minutes to go.
 
The Calcaterra three-pointer, meanwhile, was one of only two field goals made by the Toreros down the stretch. Despite a Massalski spin-move lay-up with 38 seconds left to make it 58-54 LMU, USD finished the game 2-of-15 from the field. To counter, the Lions were good on five of their last 16 shots.
 
For the game, the Toreros outshot the Lions, 41.5% to 40.4%.
 
Toreros led by as much as nine points early in the first half, but LMU went on a 5-of-7 run from the field halfway through to pull within 22-21 at the 7:42 mark.
 
As the Lions pulled within one, though, the Toreros bounced back sparked by a Calcaterra pull-up jumper as the shot clock expired. The field goal was the start of a brief six-point spurt for USD, which included a dunk by Jean-Marie and drive-and-finish by Hartfield that made it 28-21.
 
LMU went on to tie the game at 28-28 with just under four minutes left, but Jean-Marie hit a wide-open three on the right wing to help the Toreros carry a 31-30 lead into halftime.
 
USD started the second half shooting 8-of-13 from the field (61.5%) to help build the seven-point lead with 12 minutes remaining. The lead was as much as eight points at 45-37 when Jean-Marie hit a jumper six-and-a-half minutes into the half.
 
The Lions went on their 10-0 run after the Toreros took a 49-42 lead due to USD missing eight straight shots and committing a pair of turnovers during a five-minute stretch.
 
USD will continue its WCC-opening road trip on Saturday at Santa Clara. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. and can be seen on the WCC Network.
 
 
NOTES
The Toreros are averaging 58.7 points against in the last six games.
 
Yauhen Massalski finished with a team-best +12 in plus/minus. The junior had five rebounds and a block to go with his dozen points.
 
LMU made all 10 of its final free throws after starting the game 5-of-9 from the charity stripe.
 
USD had 15 assists on his 22 field goals made. Marion Humphrey paced the Toreros with five assists while Alex Floresca had four.
 
The Lions committed six turnovers to USD's 13.
 
USD missed its last five three-point attempts and finished 8-of-28 from long range (28.6%) for the entire game.