USIU Has Enough Firepower to Defeat UCSD

As far as tuneups go, U.S. International University’s men’s basketball game against UC San Diego at Golden Hall Wednesday night definitely was a 4-cylinder job.

USIU, which was playing its 21st game of the season, didn’t operate at full power most of the night. But the Gulls did have enough to beat the NCAA Division III Tritons, 106-89, in front of 387.

USIU (8-13) readies itself for a rematch with Loyola Marymount, Jan. 31 at Los Angeles. Loyola defeated USIU, 162-144, at Golden Hall Jan. 7 and set three NCAA records in the process--including 93 points in the first half by Loyola.

Until then, the Gulls will get a much-needed rest. USIU has played 13 of its 21 games on the road, including 3 before playing host to the Tritons (5-10) Wednesday.

“(The players) were out of it mentally, so it was athletic ability that was the difference,” said Gary Zarecky, USIU coach. “(UCSD) was in it mentally and physically.

“But we’re tired. I’m tired and the players are tired. The number of games is affecting us, not who we’re playing.”

Although USIU is a Division I team it has had its problems with UCSD. The teams had split a 6-game series before Wednesday night.

The last time the teams played in Golden Hall, UCSD defeated USIU, 106-94, in the 1986-87 season opener.

And the Tritons kept Wednesday’s game close until midway through the second half.

With the score tied, 8-8, USIU outscored UCSD, 14-2, to take a 22-10 lead. The Gulls expanded the lead to 44-26 with 5:10 remaining in the half and then settled for a 50-40 halftime advantage.

The Tritons outplayed the Gulls early in the second half and pulled to within 62-58 with 13:36 remaining on 2 free throws by Bill Gerlach.

But USIU outscored the Tritons, 15-1, to put the game out of reach at 77-59 with 8:56 remaining. The Gulls held their biggest lead at 96-79 and led, 106-77, before the Tritons scored the final 12 points of the game.

The Gulls got a big advantage by outrebounding the Tritons 55-39 and UCSD stayed in the game by making 26 of 34 free throws.

Paul Wilson had 23 points to lead USIU. Gary Williams had 20 and Demetrius Laffitte added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Gulls. Erik Quigley scored 18 points, including 16 in the first half to lead UCSD. The Gulls held the Tritons’ Gordon McNeill, the team’s leading scorer with 12.5 points per game, to just 2 points.

After playing Loyola, the USIU opens its final home stand of the season. The Gulls play host to Southern Utah State Feb. 6, followed by the University of Missouri-Kansas City (Jan. 13) and Point Loma Nazarene (Feb. 20).