SAN DIEGO – In its fifth straight home game to open the season, the University of San Diego men's basketball team (4-1) never trailed in a win over San Diego Christian (1-3), 98-69.
 
Fifth year guard Jase Townsend led all scorers with 18 points, shooting 5-of-7 from the floor and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.
 
Senior forward Yavuz Gultekin registered a career high 17 points in the win to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
 
Senior Marcellus Earlington added 13 points and five rebounds in 13 minutes.
 
Freshman Jeremiah Nyarko went into double-figures for the first time in his career, ending with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
 
USD improves to 4-1 on the season, and will compete in the Las Vegas Classic this weekend.    
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• San Diego jumped out to a 7-2 lead behind two jumpers from Delaire.
• Gultekin scored seven points over his first four minutes of playing time, extending USD's lead to 12-9.
• Earlington scored five straight points for USD, including an and one to make it 19-13 with 10:58 left.
• San Diego ripped off a 14-0 run midway through the first half, including triples from Gultekin and Bendji Pierre.
• After five points from the Hawks, USD answered with another 9-0 run. Townsend recorded seven in that span. At halftime, San Diego led 59-29.
• USD registered a 14-0 run early in the second half, including two triples from Townsend and four points from Earlington. The Toreros secured their largest lead of the game at 43.
• Elliyas Delaire and Neel Beniwal each scored their first points at USD late in the second half.

 
TORERO TIDBITS

• Townsend is third on the team with 14.6 points per game.
• Deuce Turner went into double figures for the first time this year (13 points).
• Bendji Pierre notched a season-high six points.
• Earlington is up to 980 career points after tonight.
• Beniwal drilled a three-pointer and added a dunk for five points.
• Freshman Deven Dahlke grabbed four rebounds.  
• The Toreros forced a season high 24 turnovers and scored 31 points off turnovers.
• After scoring eight today, Jaiden Delaire now has 971 career points. He also registered a career high six steals.
• USD shot 52.3% (34-65) from the floor and 76.0% (19-25) from the free throw line.
• San Diego held a 46-30 advantage in bench points.

UP NEXT
San Diego takes to the road for the first time this season, facing New Mexico State at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Friday.  Each team has won three games in the all-time series, including a 65-60 USD win last time out in 2017.