Concerned USD Braces for Santa Barbara

Two dates in the past year make tonight’s (7:30) basketball game against UC Santa Barbara a worrisome one for University of San Diego Coach Hank Egan. The other date proves anything can happen in the early portion of the college basketball season.

On Dec. 3, 1988, USD barely had its warm-ups off before UCSB assumed leads of 11 and 22 points en route to a 76-58 romp in Goleta. It was one of USD’s few lopsided losses of an 8-20 season.

On Saturday, a similar script favored UCSB over Pepperdine, 67-46, in both team’s season opener. Pepperdine is picked by some to win the West Coast Conference.

In the preseason, UCSB lost to Athletes in Action, 85-81. The Toreros beat AIA, 85-84.

UCSB finished 21-9 in 1988-89, including a first-round loss in the National Invitation Tournament. In the Pepperdine game, the Gauchos were led by Gary Gray who had a career-high 24 points. Eric McArthur had 15 points and 11 rebounds. UCSB, which has won 20 of its last 21 nonconference games, out-rebounded the Waves, 42-27.

USD won its opener against Cal Lutheran, 82-46. USD’s John Jerome had 15 points, Dondi Bell 13 and Gylan Dottin 12. UCSB leads the series, 7-4.

MEN’S TENNIS

The San Diego All-College tournament begins today and runs through Saturday at the University of San Diego. The tournament is open to all full-time college students in the San Diego area.

USD sophomore Jose Luis Noriega (No. 6 in the Volvo/ITCA Collegiate rankings) is the defending singles and doubles champion (with teammate David Stewart).

The top-seeded players all received first-round byes, but La Jolla’s fifth and sixth-seeded players both advanced in the men’s 45 singles of the Beach Club Invitational at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club.

No. 5 Bob Seymour defeated Tom Laughlin of Del Mar, 7-5, 6-3, and No. 6 Bill Bond ousted San Diego’s Joe Hathaway, 7-5, 6-1. The second round continues today.