U. of San Diego Defeats CS Long Beach in Boise

Pressure free-throw shooting down the stretch by center Scott Thompson carried the University of San Diego to a 60-55 victory over Cal State Long Beach Friday in the Albertsons Holiday basketball tournament.

In tonight’s final, San Diego will play Boise State, which defeated Southwest Texas State, 82-63.

The 7-foot Thompson made eight straight foul shots in the last 1:41, and teammates Mark Manor and Danny Means sank three of five in the same span, enabling the Toreros to hold off the 49ers.

Three-point baskets by Morlon Wiley and Tony Ronzone, and a driving jump shot by Wiley in a 37-second stretch kept the 49ers close late in the game.

“Our shot selection was fairly good tonight, but we failed to convert the shots we got,” Long Beach Coach Rod Palmer said. “We can’t afford to be missing eight-footers. We also can’t afford to go to the free-throw line only six times while they go 28.”

San Diego raised its record to 5-2. Long Beach is 4-4.