Ayanna Khalfani_Pacific_12.31.22
David Frerker

Women's Basketball

Women’s Basketball Welcomes Santa Clara, San Francisco

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego women's basketball program (10-8, 2-3 WCC) rides a two-game win streak back to the Jenny Craig Pavilion for a pair of WCC contests, hosing Santa Clara (11-9, 2-5 WCC) on Thursday at 6 p.m., and San Francisco (13-6, 3-4 WCC) on Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT
  • San Diego polished off a 2-0 week with a sterling defensive performance, defeating Loyola Marymount, 61-49, on Saturday in Los Angeles, Calif.
  • Myah Pace made history in the win, becoming the 22nd player in program history to reach 1,000 points in her career, sealing the mark in the dying seconds of the game at the free throw line.
  • Kiera Oakry led all Torero scorers once again with 16 points, while Pace nearly completed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.
 
OPPONENT HISTORY
  • San Diego and Santa Clara have had a very tight all-time series, with San Diego holding a 43-39 all-time series lead. Santa Clara did take the previous meeting in last year's WCC Tournament.
  • The Toreros are 43-33 all-time against San Francisco and have won five straight home games against the Dons.   
 
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
  • One of the primary reasons the Toreros have won games in recent weeks is the improved handling of the basketball. San Diego now leads the WCC in turnover margin (2.00), while ranking third in turnovers forced per game (17.06).
  • Five of the six and seven of the nine lowest turnover performances from the Toreros this season have come in WCC play.
  • The Toreros continue to find success on the glass, ranking in the top-100 nationally in offensive rebounds per game (13.9) and rebounding margin (4.1).
  • San Diego is hoping to jump out to an early lead, where they tend to have the most success. San Diego is 8-2 when leading or tied at halftime, while 1-6 when they trail. The team broke their 0-5 start when they trail with a 16-point comeback victory over Saint Mary's on Dec. 29.
  • Santa Clara assistant coach Kerri Nakamoto makes her return to San Diego, where she scored 1,098 points and 376 assists as a player.
  • Jess Finney will matchup against Santa Clara's Olivia Pollerd, her former teammate at Washington. The two spent one season together on the Huskies roster.
 
TORERO TIDBITS
  • Oakry has been adept at drawing contact all season and has gotten to the free throw line frequently, ranking third in the WCC and in the top-100 nationally in free throws made (68). As a unit, the Toreros lead the league in free throw attempts per game and makes per game.
  • After reaching the 1,000-point threshold on Saturday at Loyola Marymount, Pace continues to close in on several milestones in her highly successful Torero career.
  • Pace (1,001) sits 22nd all-time at San Diego in points, needing 28 to enter the top-20. Next up is Debbie Theroux (1,015) in 21st.
  • In addition, Pace is 25 steals away from 250 in her career and ranks fourth all-time at San Diego, needing 15 to match Amanda Rego (240) for third place.
  • Pace is also eighth all-time in assists at 333 and needs 29 more to match Dominique Conners (362) for seventh.  
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
The games will be streamed via the WCC Network, with live stats provided by statbroadcast. To stay up to date with Toreros women's basketball, follow the team on Instagram & Twitter by searching "USDwbb".
 
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Players Mentioned

Kiera Oakry

#0 Kiera Oakry

Guard
5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
Myah Pace

#10 Myah Pace

Guard
5' 11"
Senior
Jess Finney

#3 Jess Finney

Guard
6' 0"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Kiera Oakry

#0 Kiera Oakry

5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
Guard
Myah Pace

#10 Myah Pace

5' 11"
Senior
Guard
Jess Finney

#3 Jess Finney

6' 0"
Sophomore
Guard