LOS ANGELES—San Diego took LMU down to the wire in a 72-69 overtime loss on Tuesday evening in Gersten Pavilion.
 
The Toreros had four players score double-digits in a balanced offense that shot 39 percent from the field and 30 percent from three-point range. Vladimir Pinchuk notched his second double-double in as many games with 13 points, 10 rebounds. In addition to Pinchuk, Josh Parrish also led USD with 13 points on the night.
 
Jared Rodriguez scored a season-high 12 points off the bench and Frankie Hughes recorded 11 points, six rebounds for the Toreros. Ben Pyle also chipped in nine points, seven rebounds and a team-high five assists.
 
The Toreros forced 15 LMU turnovers while protecting the ball well, giving it up only eight times. USD held the advantage is most statistical categories, but the Lions (7-4, 2-1 WCC) went 77 percent (13-of-17) from the free throw line compared to 55 percent (6-for-11) for the Toreros which proved a difference-maker.
 
Despite being short-handed for the second game in a row, the Toreros came out of the gate fast to start the contest. USD held the slim lead through much of the first half behind the offense of Hughes and Rodriguez and worked its way to a 31-22 advantage with three minutes in the period.
 
The Lions began to cut into the lead late in the half including five of their seven three-pointers, but USD held the 36-33 advantage at the break.
 
After trailing by as many as nine, the Lions began to rally in the second half and a 14-2 run put LMU on top midway through the period. USD rallied in the final five minutes of regulation and rattled off back-to-back layups in the final minute to tie the game 61-61 to force an overtime period.
 
USD got the early lead in overtime after Finn Sullivan sank two free throws, but it would prove to be the Toreros' only lead of the final period. The Lions jumped in front by as many as four, but the Toreros would not give up, pulling within one point three different times in the final 20 seconds. USD trailed 70-69 with three seconds remaining but could not complete the upset, eventually falling 72-69.
 
The Toreros remain on the road to close out the week at Portland on Saturday at 2 p.m. PT in the Chiles Center.