SAN DIEGO – Shooting 52.5% from the field and 48.1% from long range, UNLV (8-0) defeated the University of San Diego men's basketball team (5-4) on Saturday, 95-78.
 
Graduate guard Eric Williams Jr. notched his fifth double-double of the season, leading the team with 16 points and 14 rebounds.
 
Senior guard Jase Townsend added 14 points in the loss, making 5-of-10 attempts.
 
Three other players scored 10 points, including graduate forward Jaiden Delaire, senior Marcellus Earlington, and sophomore Wayne McKinney III.
 
USD drops to 5-4 on the season, and will remain home to face Cal Baptist next Saturday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Solid defense from USD forced UNLV to start 1-of-8 from the floor.
• Buckets from Deuce Turner and Earlington gave USD a 12-9 lead with 12:58 left, but UNLV answered with a 24-4 run.
• San Diego battled back with five straight points from Williams towards the end of the first half, but the Runnin' Rebels ended the frame on a 12-2 run. At halftime, UNLV led 49-28.
• UNLV extended its lead to 27 with a 6-0 run early in the second half.
• McKinney scored six straight points for the Toreros, but UNLV continued to answer. Back-to-back triples from the road team gave them their largest lead at 31.
• Over the final 7:39, USD outscored the Runnin' Rebels 25-11. A triple from Deuce Turner and a free throw from Neel Beniwal closed the scoring, as UNLV took the 95-78 win.

 
TORERO TIDBITS

• USD is now 5-2 at home this season.
• Townsend leads the team with 16.2 points per game.
• Coming into the night, Williams Jr. ranked sixth nationally in double-doubles.
• San Diego held a 36-30 advantage in the paint.
• The Toreros won the rebounding battle 33-31.
• UNLV scored 31 fast break points, compared to USD's eight.
• Jawara dished a season-high seven assists.

 
UP NEXT
San Diego will host Cal Baptist next Saturday at 7 PM. The Toreros hold a 7-0 lead in the all-time series, but the teams have not met since the 1972-73 season.