LAS VEGAS — One rung up, 11th-seeded USD men's basketball will look to continue to climb the West Coast Conference Tournament ladder as it faces seven seed Seattle U in the second round at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 6 in Las Vegas' Orleans Arena.
The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Roxy Bernstein (PxP, X: @roxybernstein) and Dan Dickau (Color, X: @dandickau21) calling the action. Voice of the Toreros Jack Cronin (PxP, X: @JackCroninPXP) will have the call over radio airwaves on USDToreros.com/watch. Inside coverage can also be found on the @USDMBB social channels.
THE REDHAWK RUNDOWN
• Seattle U started the season a blitzing 11-2 but finished 8-10 (seventh) in its maiden WCC voyage
• Thursday is the second meeting between the two since Feb. 28, 1980 ... Seattle U has taken all three meetings ... The Toreros faced the Redhawks once at home and once on the road during the 1979-80 season as WCA (now the WCC) opponents, then Seattle U's last season in the conference and USD's first
This Season's First Meeting:
- In a game that was closer than the final score indicated, USD fell 75-64 on the road to Seattle U on Jan. 15
- San Diego trailed by as much as 15 in the first half in its first matchup with Seattle U in 46 years but battled all the back to lead inside 12 minutes remaining ... The Torero comeback was thwarted by a Redhawk push late in the game, however, as the hosts separated again.
- USD finished on the plus side of rebounds against one of the WCC's bigger teams, but had a down day shooting the rock, going 38.3% from the field and 29.2% from beyond the arc on the night.
- The Toreros were led by junior guard Ty-Laur Johnsons who posted another 18 points to go with nine assists ... Torero bigs had a solid night, as junior Assane Diop and redshirt-freshman Gavin Ripp scored Torero-bests.
SURVIVING AND ADVANCING IN THE FIRST ROUND
- USD's season lives on after an electrifying 66-62 win over 10th-seeded LMU in the first round of the 2026 Credit Union 1 West Coast Conference Championship Tournament Thursday night in Orleans Arena.
- It was a tale of two halves and two players for the 11 seed Toreros, who advance to face No. 7 Seattle U Friday night ... San Diego built a cushion over the Lions with a big first half surge, led by grad guard Adrian McIntyre's 16 points ... In the second half, senior guard Juanse Gorosito nullified LMU's comeback attempts with timely 3-pointers.
- In the first half, USD shot a blitzing 53.8% from the floor and went 5-10 from three to lead by as much as 13 ... In the second, less field goals – just seven – made it through the cylinder as LMU slowly chipped away at the lead, bringing it down to one point with one minute left ... The Toreros would survive and advance, however, with big plays in the clutch moments and perfect free throw shooting down the stretch.
- McIntyre finished with a team-high 17 points and five assists, Gorosito added 14 and grad guard Toneari Lane 13 in a full 40 minutes played ... Redshirt-freshman forward Gavin Ripp scored in double figures in a second straight for the first time in his career while junior big Assane Diop was close to a double-double with seven points, nine rebounds and three of the team's six blocks against one of the WCC's biggest teams.
Notable vs. LMU
- The 66-62 final score exactly mirrored the USD women's winning score in their win also as the 11 seed over the 10 seed, Saint Mary's, earlier in the day in Orleans Arena
- USD ends a six-game losing streak vs. Loyola Marymount and avenges a series sweep this season (in which USD didn't lead by more than two points) as well as a second-round elimination from the 2025 edition of the WCC Tournament
- San Diego's 11-point halftime lead was the tied-most vs. a DI opponent this season (three other times), most in a game away from home
TOP-10 SHARP SHOOTER
• Grad guard Toneari Lane ranks ninth nationally, first in the WCC, among qualified players in 3-point percentage at 44.4%
• The Atlanta native has been converting at a rate of over 50% over the last 13 games (since Jan. 19)
BREAKING THE 3PT RECORD ... AGAIN
• In an overtime loss at Oregon State on Feb. 25, the Toreros made 18 threes on 43 attempts (also a single-game record), including four in the last 39 seconds of regulation to force OT
• The 18 converted 3-pointers breaks the previous school record of 15 in a single game, done three times, last in the Toreros' 96-92 win over Washington State on Jan. 21 ... The 43 attempted threes breaks the previous program record set over a decade ago, by eight – the Toreros attempted 35 vs. CSUN on Dec. 23, 2015
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