USD to Take Second Shot at St. Mary’s
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SAN DIEGO — After being bombarded with offense in four games over two weekends against Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount, the University of San Diego men’s basketball team faced defense-minded St. Mary’s College Wednesday in Moraga.
St. Mary’s is third in the NCAA in scoring defense and field-goal percentage defense. The Toreros found out why, shooting just 39% from the field in a 70-45 loss at McKeon Pavilion. The 45 points were the fewest USD had scored this season.
Tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the USD Sports Center, the Toreros get another shot at figuring out the Gaels’ mixture of zone defenses.
Three years ago, St. Mary’s finished 10-17, 3-11 (seventh in the West Coast Athletic Conference). The following year under new Coach Lynn Nance, the Gaels were 17-13, 7-7. Last season, they were 19-9, 9-5.
This season, with five senior starters and a good supporting cast, St. Mary’s is 21-3 and 9-2. USD Coach Hank Egan and others say this private school of 2,200 students is headed for the NCAA tournament regardless of its finish in the WCAC tournament March 4-6.
USD, on the other hand, has lost five games in a row and 12 of 13 for a record of 6-17, 1-10 in the WCAC.
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