Mum’s No Longer the Word on USD’s Sharp Marty Munn

Marty Munn, as he usually does, went immediately from the locker room to the showers after the University of San Diego’s 99-84 victory over Loyola Marymount Saturday night.

Then, something unusual happened.

“Hey Marty,” somebody yelled into the shower. “Some reporters want to talk to you.”

‘Who? Me?” Munn said.

Munn is used to taking long showers after games. Sure, he was a star last season at Hartnell Community College in Salinas, averaging 23.4 points per game and leading his team to the state playoffs.

But in his first season at USD, Munn has spent most of his time on the bench. Before Saturday’s playoff game against Loyola, he was averaging only 10 minutes of playing time and 3.2 points per game.

“It’s been a tough adjustment,” he said when he came out of the shower. “I’ve kind of tried to make this year a learning experience.”

Saturday, he taught Loyola a lesson or two about respecting second-string, outside shooters.

Munn came entered the game with 13:46 to play when starting forward Mark Manor picked up his fourth foul. Over the next five minutes, Munn had 10 points, 3 rebounds and an assist. When he came into the game, USD was ahead by 11. When he left with 8:35 to play, the Toreros were ahead by 20 and on their way to their 14th consecutive victory.

“There was some concern when Manor went out because he was hitting his shots,” USD Coach Hank Egan said. “We really needed a good effort from Marty, and he gave it to us.”

A look at Munn’s key five minutes of action:

--After Loyola cut the USD lead to eight, Munn worked himself free on the right wing and made an 18-footer. Munn’s basket, with 11:23 remaining, was the first by any USD player other than Manor or Scott Thompson in the second half.

--With 10:19 left, Munn got an offensive rebound and made a short bank shot to give USD a 13-point lead. Munn doesn’t normally get involved inside and as a result has shot only six free throws this season.

“I haven’t been mixing it up much,” he said.

--At the 9:39 mark, Munn struck again from outside, this time hitting a three-pointer to increase the Toreros’ lead to 15.

--A minute later, Munn had a defensive rebound, passed to Paul Leonard, then ran to the other end of the floor and waited. Leonard found him standing outside the three-point line, and Munn hit another three-pointer to push the Toreros’ advantage to 79-59.

“Our bench has been one of the real keys for us all season,” Thompson said. “It’s always somebody different. Tonight, it was Marty’s turn and he came through for us.”

Munn finished with 12 points, one short of his season high 13 against Loyola (Md.) College in December. He added six rebounds, also one shy of his season high, and had five assists.

All in all, it was a pretty good night from a guy who had a terrible warm-ups.

“I didn’t hit a thing,” he said. “The funny thing is, that’s the way it’s been going for me. When I’m off in warm-ups, my shot has been falling during the games. I’ll have to be cold in warm-ups more often.”