Nov. 20, 2008
GAME #3: The University of San Diego men's basketball team (1-1), under the direction of 2nd-year head coach Bill Grier, is one of eight teams participating in the 2008 U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam Tournament. USD will open against Valparaiso on Friday, Nov. 21st, at 12:30 p.m. (PST) on the campus of the University of U.S. Virgin Islands.
PARADISE JAM BRACKET: (Fri., Nov. 21) Game #1, Southern Mississippi vs. Miami. Game #2, San Diego vs. Valparaiso. Game #3, La Salle vs. UCONN. Game #4, Iona vs. Wisconsin. A USD win on Friday, and they would next play on Sunday, Nov. 23rd at 5:30 pm (PDT) vs. the winner of the Iona-Wisconsin matchup. A USD loss on Friday and the Toreros would play on Saturday, Nov. 22nd at 5:30 p.m. (PDT) vs. either Iona or Wisconsin.
SERIES RECORD: This is the first meeting between USD and Valparaiso, and it will be the first meeting against either Iona or Wisconsin.
RADIO/INTERNET: Due to a conflict, Friday's game will be broadcast on San Diego 1700 AM; not XX 1090 AM. Andy Masur (play-by-play) brings you all the action beginning at 12:15 pm (PST). The game can also be picked up via the internet at www.usdtoreros.com.
COACH GRIER (2ND YEAR): Coach Bill Grier (Oregon, 1990), 45, is in his season season at the helm of the USD program... He enters the Valparaiso game with a career record of 23-15... In his rookie year he guided the Toreros to an overall mark of 22-14 and 3rd place finish in the WCC race at 11-3... He guided the Toreros to three wins and the championship title at the WCC Tournament (hosted by USD) with wins over Pepperdine, Saint Mary's and No. 20 Gonzaga... The Toreros then upset No. 15 UCONN in the NCAA Tournament opener with a 70-69 overtime victory, before falling to Western Kentucky in the second round... His 11 WCC wins were the second most for league wins in a single season in program history... Hired on March 26, 2007, Grier is USD's 11th head coach overall and just the 4th head coach since the Torero program moved to the NCAA Division I ranks in 1979-80... His 22 wins were also the most by a Torero coach in his first season at USD - previous mark was 16 held by Hank Egan ('84-85) and Jim Brovelli ('73-74). In addition to knocking off Kentucky on the road, 81-72, the Toreros earned three wins over Top-25 teams: #21 Saint Mary's, #20 Gonzaga and #15 Connecticut... Prior to USD Grier spent 16 years at Gonzaga, including the last 8 seasons as Mark Few's top assistant. Bill and his wife, Nicole, have one daughter, Giselle.
TOREROS DOWN NEVADA IN HOME OPENER, 65-51: Following a pre-game ceremony that unveiled USD's new 2008 WCC Tournament Championship and NCAA banners, the Toreros started out of the gates strong in dealing Nevada a 65-51 loss... Sophomore forward Rob Jones was the catalyst as he scored a game-high 23 points on 10-for-12 shooting... Senior guard Brandon Johnson contributed 13 points, a game-high 7 rebounds and 4 assists, and Gyno Pomare returned to chip in with 12 points... Jones also did an outstanding job defending UNR's Luke Babbitt (1-9 shooting, 3 points)... In the first half USD's biggest lead was 13 points before settling for a 37-27 intermission lead... In the 2nd half USD extended their lead to 25 points twice, the last with 5:05 to go (65-40) and the game was never in doubt as the Toreros came away with a 14-point win... USD shot 54% from the field (27-50) while limiting Nevada to 32.7% (18-55)... Nevada was paced by Joey Shaw with 16 points.
TOREROS IN THE COMMUNITY: Along with raising the 2008 WCC Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament banner in USD's home victory against Nevada on November 18th, the Toreros were excited to be a part of the first annual San Diego "Tee-Off and Tip-Off" charity event. The two-day event, which culminated with a VIP reception and the USD-Nevada game, included a dinner and auction at Fairbanks Ranch Country Club and a golf tournament with celebrity participation at La Costa Resort. Proceeds from the activities benefited the Fanconi Anemia Research Fund and San Diego-based Father Joe's Village. For additional information, visit www.TEEandTIP.com. During the month of October the entire USD men's basketball team participated in the Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk and the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes.
TOREROS LOOK TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS UNDER GRIER: If last year's Torero basketball season had been a book written by first year head coach Bill Grier, it most likely would have appeared on the best seller's list. For the upcoming 2008-09 campaign, Grier will have a lot of the same characters (every Torero returns) and plot and subplots to work with (8 non-conference rematches; WCC league competition; and WCC Tournament) as he pens his second work. With all five starters and ten lettermen back from last year's 22-14 team that won the WCC Tournament and advanced to the second round of the NCAA's, second-year head coach Bill Grier is cautiously optimistic for the upcoming season. The Toreros finished last year strong, going 11-3 in league (3rd place) and 14-3 down the stretch. They knocked off San Francisco, Saint Mary's and No. 20 Gonzaga in the WCC Tournament, and then followed up by upsetting 15th-ranked UConn in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. In the second round of the NCAA's, USD overcame a 15-point deficit against Western Kentucky to take a 55-54 lead with about 6 minutes to go, but eventually came up short against a very good Hilltoppers' club, 72-63.
SCOUTING THE VALPARAISO CRUSADERS: The Crusaders bring a record of 2-0 to the Paradise Jam Tournament... They opened the year with wins over Marian (87-56) and Central Florida (69-52)... 6-5 sophomore guard Michael Rogers led four Crusaders in double digit scoring with 23 points in win over Marian... 6-8 senior forward Urule Igbavboa paced Valpo with 15 points against Central Florida... After two games, Rogers leads the Crusaders in scoring (16.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and is followed by 6-0 freshman guard Erik Buggs (12.0 ppg)... Head Coach Homer Drew returns 3 starters and 5 lettermen from last year's squad that finished 22-14 and appeared in the inaugural College Basketb all Invitational... Igbavboa is the top returner after averaging 11.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg and shooting 56 percent from the field (3rd best mark in school history)... Valpo is in its second year as a member of the Horizon League - last year they finished 9-9, good for 4th place.
WCC TOURNAMENT HEADING TO LAS VEGAS: The Toreros will make a return trip to Las Vegas in March when the play in the WCC Tournament (Mar. 6-9)... This will mark the first time in WCC history that the conference's premier event will be held at a neutral site... The event will be held The Orleans Arena... Tickets are going fast... For more information visit WCCSPORTS.COM or USDTOREROS.COM.
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