USD Seeks Victory in the Bay Area

Still searching for its first victory in 1989, the University of San Diego men’s basketball team takes a 4-game losing streak to the Bay Area for games against San Francisco tonight and Santa Clara Saturday.

The Toreros (5-9, 0-2) have lost 7 of 8 games since beginning the season 4-2. USD, San Francisco (8-7, 0-2) and Santa Clara (11-4, 0-2) are the only teams without a victory in West Coast Athletic Conference play.

San Francisco has four starters averaging in double-figure scoring, led by 6-foot 8-inch senior center Marc McCathrion (15.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game). Said USD Coach Hank Egan, “Some days McCathrion is absolutely the best ball player you’ve ever seen. And some days, he’s not there.”

Santa Clara is a team with “a little bit of everything,” Egan said. “They start a 6-6 point guard, Mitch Burley (12.4 points per game), who’s a great outside shooter. They have a fine post man in Nils Becker (10.4). And they have a good power forward in Jens Gordon (15.5), a possible NBA selection.”

USD lost its first two WCAC games at home last weekend to Gonzaga, 71-66, and Portland, 57-54. Portland stopped a 21-game losing streak, the longest in NCAA Division I.

“Our performance this past weekend, especially in the Portland game, was disappointing,” Egan said. “We’re a young ballclub. We’re a struggling ballclub. I hope we didn’t have the audacity to take somebody lightly.”