SAN DIEGO – The San Diego women's basketball program (3-2, 0-0 WCC) built a second-half advantage and held on to defeat Weber State (0-5, 0-0 Big Sky), 56-53, on Friday afternoon in the opening round of The Dana on Mission Bay Thanksgiving Tournament at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.  
 
Veronica Sheffey led the Toreros by matching her career-high with 17 points, three rebounds and three assists, while Dylan Horton added 14 points.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Torero offense struggled out of the gate, but were ultimately propelled by their guard play as the first quarter carried on.
• Sheffey opened with the first six points for the Toreros, before Horton added on with five.
• Nevertheless, the Toreros trailed through the first quarter, 17-11, as Weber State ended the quarter on an 8-3 run.
• The Wildcats built a lead as big as seven in the second quarter, before the Toreros roared back into the game.
• A 12-2 run to end the quarter was propelled by seven of Sheffey's nine second quarter points, as well as a key Jess Finney three pointer to give the Toreros a 30-27 lead at halftime.
• The 12-2 run extended into the third quarter, as it grew to a 23-4 run.
• Harsimran Kaur began to assert herself on the glass, recording a pair of rebounds and baskets as San Diego took a 41-29 lead.
• After a 6-0 run by the Wildcats, Kaur beat the buzzer with a layup and gave San Diego a 10 point advantage at the end of three quarters.
• Weber State found their stride in the fourth quarter and slowly began to chip away at the lead behind 42 percent shooting in the period.
• What was as high as a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter dwindled to two with 1:04 left on the clock, as San Diego led 52-50.
• The Toreros kept their composure, as Kylie Horstmeyer hit a free throw and Sheffey added two more to help seal the game at the free throw line.

 
TORERO TIDBITS

• San Diego's top-two scoring performances this season have both come against Big Sky opponents.
• The Toreros are undefeated when winning the rebounding battle this season.
• Kaur tallied a career-high 10 rebounds in the win.

 
NEXT UP
The Toreros will compete in the final game of The Dana on Mission Bay Thanksgiving Tournament, hosting UNLV on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 4 p.m.
 
The game will be streamed via ESPN Plus. To stay up to date with Toreros women's basketball, follow the team on Instagram & Twitter by searching "USDwbb".