WCC ROUNDUP : USD’s Victory Helps Keep Its Title Hopes Alive

The University of San Diego seems to have a different star every game, and Saturday night it was Anthony Thomas and Randy Thompson drawing praise from Coach Hank Egan after a 93-61 rout of St. Mary’s.

The victory kept the Toreros, 14-10 overall and 9-3 in the West Coast Conference, alive in the WCC race.

“I thought the two guys that deserve special recognition were Anthony Thomas and Randy Thompson,” Egan said. “I thought Randy Thompson made some key plays, did a good job defensively, got some big boards and really moved the ball and hit the open man against their press.

“And Anthony Thomas--he’s been trying real hard to fit in. He came off the bench and was just with it tonight. He was tremendous off the boards.”

Everyone chipped in for San Diego. Even little-used Shawn Hamilton, and freshmen Joe Temple and Brooks Barnhard.

They were allowed court time because Thomas had a career-high 16 points and seven rebounds in only 17 minutes, because Thompson was superb on defense and added five assists in 12 minutes, because Wayman Strickland had 15 points and 11 assists, because Kelvin Woods had 12 points and seven rebounds, and because Pat Holbert had 11 points.

Jerome wasn’t bad, either. The 6-foot-8 senior forward had 18 points and 11 rebounds. It was the sixth consecutive game he has reached double figures in both categories.

It was the second consecutive game that San Diego has had five scorers in double figures. The Toreros turned a similar trick Thursday in a 96-84 victory over San Francisco.

This was San Diego’s seventh victory in a row and 11th in the 14 games since Christmas.

The Toreros still have games remaining at Loyola Marymount and third-place Pepperdine.

It was the biggest margin of victory for either team in the series, which San Diego leads, 14-12.