PORTLAND, OR – Shooting 63% from the field, 58% from three-point land, and 93% from the free throw line, Portland (15-12, 5-6 WCC) defeated the San Diego men's basketball team (14-13, 7-7 WCC) on Thursday, 92-60.
Senior
Jase Townsend led the Toreros with 16 points and four assists. Townsend made 5-of-11 from the field, 2-of-4 from long range, and a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
Junior
Yavuz Gultekin added a career-high 15 points (7-11 FG) in addition to six rebounds.
San Diego drops to 14-13 (7-7 WCC) on the season, and will return home to face Saint Mary's on Thursday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- San Diego took an early 5-0 lead with a triple from Marcellus Earlington and a jumper from Townsend, but Portland answered with a 19-4 run.
- A jumper from Gultekin and a deep three from Joey Calcaterra cut the USD deficit to five.
- Calcaterra came up with a steal on the defensive end. After a pass up to Townsend, Parrish received an alley-oop and threw it down. With 7:52 left in the first half, USD trailed 25-20.
- Over the first 17 minutes of the first half, Portland shot 16-25 (64%) to produce a 39-26 lead.
- Townsend knocked down another triple with less than a minute left to give him 12 first-half points. At halftime, Portland led 44-33.
- The Pilots made three straight triples for a 9-0 run, going ahead 69-47 midway through the second half.
- Portland made five straight shots and rattled off an 8-0 run towards the end of the second half for an 83-56 lead.
- The Pilots ended the game on a 7-0 run and held USD without a point over the final 3:13.
TORERO TIDBITS
- Townsend went into double figures for the 10th time this season, which is tied for third on the team.
- Gultekin's previous career high was 12, set twice including Portland earlier this season.
- Earlington ended with nine points and six boards.
- The Pilots won the rebounding battle, 34-22.
- All five of Portland's starters scored in double figures.
- Before tonight, the highest field goal percentage from an opponent was 56.7% (#2 Gonzaga).
- San Diego made 9-of-13 free throws.
UP NEXT
San Diego will compete in the Jenny Craig Pavilion for the last two games of the regular season, beginning with Saint Mary's on Thursday. The Gaels hold a 55-36 lead in the all-time series, including 15 straight wins.
