PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — San Diego men's basketball (5-2, 0-0 WCC) on Saturday night dropped a tough decision to Hawaii (5-0, 0-0 Big West) in the Acrisure Invitational's championship game, falling by a 77-66 margin at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs to snap a three-game win streak.

Deuce Turner paced the Toreros on offense with his second consecutive 18-point performance. Wayne McKinney III was just behind with 15 points of his own and was followed by freshman Jimmy Oladokun Jr., who put together a well-rounded stat line of eight points, six rebounds, a steal, and an assist. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Saturday night's contest began slowly, with only one point scored in its first three minutes.
• Back-and-forth play ensued after each team found its footing, resulting in a 7-6 Hawaii lead at the first media timeout.
• A three-plus-minute scoring drought on both sides kept things there until the 12:28 mark, when the Rainbow Warriors converted a layup to make it 9-6 in their favor.
• Jimmy Oladokun Jr. then made a second-chance basket, maintaining his team's deficit at one point (9-8) at the under-twelve media timeout.
• Dragos Lungu made a pair of free throws with 8:29 remaining in the half to keep USD within one at 18-17, but Hawaii immediately responded with a 6-0 run, holding the Toreros scoreless for two-plus minutes as it created a 24-17 advantage.
• The Rainbow Warriors made a key three-pointer as Saturday night's first frame wound to a close to extend their advantage and take a 34-25 lead into the intermission.
• San Diego was back within seven at the 16:09 mark in the second half when Keyon Kensie drained a clutch three.
• The Rainbow Warriors responded almost right away, however, sinking a pair of three-pointers to keep it a 10-point game.
• Hawaii stretched its lead as the second half progressed, using a 7-0 run to help take a 19-point, 58-39 advantage with just over eight minutes to go.
• After the Rainbow Warriors went up by as many as 21, San Diego used a late 11-2 run to move the score to 69-57 and pull back within 12 while holding Hawaii without a field goal for the game's final five minutes. 
• A pair of late layups from Turner down the stretch cut the USD deficit to 11 before time expired and Hawaii earned a 77-66 victory.

TORERO TIDBITS

• Turner recorded a team-high 18 points for a second consecutive evening, going 6-for-6 from the line as he added five rebounds, a pair of steals, and an assist.
• McKinney III shot 50% from the field and had a team-high three steals.  
• Lungu totaled eight points and made all four of his free throws.
• Keyon Kensie had seven points and seven defensive rebounds. 
• Kevin Patton Jr. was one of three Toreros with five rebounds (Santiago Trouet and Turner) and tallied a game-high three blocks.
• Joey Chammaa checked in with 7:03 remaining in the game and immediately drilled a three-pointer, making him 4-for-5 from beyond the arc to begin his college career.
• Deuce Turner was named to the Acrisure Invitational All-Tournament Team after Saturday night's game. 

UP NEXT
The Toreros are back in action on Wednesday (November 29), when they return home to host Northern Colorado. Tip-off against the Bears at the Jenny Craig Pavilion is set for 7:00 p.m.