USD Is Again Close, Again Short

SAN DIEGO —  Now Hank knows how Brian felt.

During the 1988 football season, the University of San Diego lost five games--all decided late--by an average of 3 points. Coach Brian Fogarty was mesmerized.

In five West Coast Athletic Conference games, the USD men’s basketball team has lost five games--all late--by an average of four points. Coach Hank Egan is mesmerized.

While Friday night’s game against Santa Clara had all the makings of a blowout for 32 minutes, it ended up being the closest. Down by 18 with 7:52 remaining, USD rallied fiercely but came up short, 67-66.

USD fell to 5-12, 0-5 in the WCAC. Santa Clara is 2-3, 13-5.

It doesn’t get any easier for the Toreros when they face the University of San Francisco tonight at 7:30 in the USD Sports Center. USF (10-8, 2-3) upset No. 20 St. Mary’s Friday. It was only the Gaels’ second loss of the season, first in the WCAC.

With Santa Clara ahead by one with 8 seconds remaining Friday, Bronco guard Melvin Chinn missed his fifth free throw of the second half.

USD’s Craig Cottrell rebounded, and the Toreros were within seconds of pulling off an incredible comeback.

But Cottrell passed off to freshman forward Kelvin Woods, who had trouble getting the ball upcourt; precious seconds were wasted before Woods finally it to Danny Means. With 2 seconds left and the ball at midcourt, Means tried to break free for a shot but couldn’t get one off.

“That’s the way it’s been going lately,” Egan said.

With 7:52 left, things weren’t going at all for the Toreros. The Broncos had just run off 8 consecutive points and led, 50-32. Then USD’s Gylan Dottin, who started at guard instead of forward for the first time this season, hit a 3-pointer, and the game turned.

With 4:25 left, USD still trailed, 56-41. That’s when Egan called timeout and USD went to a full-court man-to-man defense. They also began fouling liberally, hoping for missed free throws.

The strategy worked, Santa Clara missed eight free throws down the stretch and USD capitalized.

Behind Cottrell, who had 12 of his 14 points in the second half, and Wayman Strickland, who scored all 12 of his points in the final 20 minutes, USD cut it to 67-64 with 9 seconds left.

Strickland made the front end of a 1-and-1, and then the back even though he was trying to miss.

Strickland then fouled Chinn with 8 seconds left.

For the first time this season, USD had five players in double figures. Cottrell had 14, Danny Means and Dondi Bell each added 13. Strickland had 12 and Dottin 10.

Santa Clara was led by Mitch Burley (24 points), Osei Appiah (17) and Jens Gordon (11). In the first half, USD did not shoot a free throw, nor did it score on successive possessions, as Santa Clara took a 33-20 lead.

USD’s 20 points was just one better than the season low for a half (19 in the first half against Santa Barbara).

The lone bright spot was Bell who had 8 points, including a two-handed slam with 4:26 left to halt a 7-point Bronco streak with the score 29-18.

Santa Clara also had an 8-point run, including two 3-pointers by Burley, to give the Broncos an 19-11 lead with 12:55 left.