SAN DIEGO – Led by nine three-pointers in the second half, Santa Clara (18-8, 6-5 WCC) escaped the University of San Diego men's basketball team (11-15, 4-8 WCC) on Thursday, 80-75.
 
The Toreros led by 10 with 10:26 to play, but Santa Clara's Carlos Stewart and Keshawn Justice combined for 26 points (including six triples) over the next 5:46 to grab the lead.
 
Fifth year guard Marcellus Earlington led San Diego with 22 points (9-of-14 FG) in addition to six rebounds and three assists.
 
Sophomore guard Deuce Turner added 13 points to go along with a career-high six rebounds and six assists.
 
Junior Sigu Sisoho Jawara went into double-figures for the 12^th time this season, scoring 12 points on 5-of-9 from the floor.
 
Sophomore guard Wayne McKinney III ended with 11 points, including eight in the first half.
 
USD falls to 11-15 (4-8 WCC) on the season, and will travel to Pacific on Saturday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• San Diego took an early 16-10 lead by shooting 3-of-3 from long range, including makes from McKinney, Turner, and Jawara.
• Two McKinney free throws and two Earlington buckets maintained a 22-17 lead for USD with 7:44 left in the first half.
• Earlington later scored five straight points for USD, including an and-one to extend the lead to eight.
• Dahlke buried a triple from the wing to put the Toreros up 12, but Santa Clara answered with a late three of its own. At halftime, USD led 40-31.
• After Earlington got the first bucket of the second half to extend the lead to double-digits, Santa Clara answered with a 10-0 run to chop the lead to one.
• San Diego regained a double-digit lead with a 14-5 spurt, led by three-pointer from Townsend and Jawara.
• Carlos Stewart scored 11 straight points for Santa Clara, making it a 60-57 game with 8:13 remaining.
• Santa Clara's Justice hit four three-pointers over a span of 2:18, helping the Broncos to a 71-66 lead with 4:52 left.
• With 51 seconds left, Townsend hit a corner three with the shot clock running down, making it 78-75. San Diego got a stop on the defensive end and created two opportunities to tie the game, but both shots were off the mark.

 
TORERO TIDBITS

• Earlington increased his scoring average to 17.7 points, which leads the team and ranks fifth in the WCC. He has scored 20+ points in seven straight contests.
• San Diego led for 28:08, while Santa Clara led for 8:46.
• Starting the last two games, Turner has scored 33 points and dished 11 assists.
• USD shot 51% (30-59) from the field and 45% (9-20) from long range.
• Steven Jamerson contributed six points and two rebounds.
• Dahlke ended with five points and tied his career high of four rebounds.

 
UP NEXT
USD will remain on the road to face Pacific on Saturday. The Tigers hold a 17-10 lead in the all-time series, including an 84-82 win at the JCP on January 5. Five Toreros scored in double-figures in the loss (Earlington, Turner, Jawara, Townsend, Williams Jr.).