Stephen F. Austin Puts the Freeze on USD

The University of San Diego men’s basketball team shot a season-low 25% from the field Wednesday night in a 70-47 nonconference loss to Stephen F. Austin.

The Toreros (2-2) were a paltry 10 for 33 in the first half and got even worse in the second (eight for 38), with a 21.1% shooting performance. The effort didn’t sit well with USD Coach Hank Egan, who didn’t mince words.

“It’s the worst we’ve played,” Egan said. “We’d had trouble shooting. We just got our butts kicked every way we can get them kicked. If this doesn’t give us a message, nothing will.”

USD fell behind Stephen F. Austin at 9:51 in the first half and trailed the Lumberjacks (2-1) for the remainder. The Toreros took a 21-15 lead on a three-pointer by Geoff Probst at 12:04, but the Lumberjacks scored eight unanswered points to take a 23-21 lead.

Junior forward Gylan Dottin, who led USD with nine points and 10 rebounds, hit a layup to tie it at 23-23, but it was downhill from there for the Toreros. Dottin scored all his points in the first half.

USD trailed, 39-26, at the half, and the Lumberjacks opened their lead even more in the second half. Twice Stephen F. Austin took leads of 27 points, the final time at 5:40, when it led, 63-36.

Junior swingman Jack Little’s 15 points led Stephen F. Austin, which made 60% of its attempts in the first half on 15-for-25 shooting. Teammates Nathan Randle and Avery Helms scored 10 points apiece.

Little led the Lumberjacks’ long-range barrage by going three for five from three-point range. As a team they were seven for 13. USD was shooting astray (five for 23) from behind the three-point arc.

Kelvin Woods, who went into the game averaging 19.3 points for USD, was held to four points. Senior guard Wayman Strickland was two for 13.