PRIYA COOPER / SPORTS EDITOR

MAXIMILIANO ACOSTA / ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

USD          men’s        basketball executed a late comeback but  ended   up  falling  short, dropping a 71-68 game to Idaho State on Nov. 7 at the Jenny Craig Pavilion in their second game of the season. Students at the game and in the Bullpit described the game as electric, despite the loss. 

 The  Toreros  faced a seventeen point deficit  toward  the  end  of  the game  and  closed  the  gap  to only a three point differential by the time the final buzzer sounded. 

Toreros pictured practicing shots in the Wellness Center. Photo courtesy of @usdmbb/Instagram

  USD shot 7-for-11 (63.6%) from the three-point range and 50% from the field in the second half. Over the final six minutes, San Diego’s defense only allowed Idaho State one field goal the rest of the way. However, Idaho had the winning points at the free throw  line in the final few minutes. 

     During          one             of Idaho’s timeouts   in the second half, USD first-year Violet Kozak shared her first USD basketball game experience.

   “Comeback has been pretty impressive, they are keeping up with the other team as best as they can,” Kozak explained. “Each possession felt intensive and competitive and the fan’s excitement only added to the momentum.”

   After    USD    graduate-student Adrian Mcintyre’s deep three beat the buzzer to end the game, USD first-year AJ Muandumba shared his analysis on the matchup between USD’s starting five compared to Idaho’s. Prior to attending USD, Muandumba played for the U18 Angola national team and now competes at USD club level.

   “It’s a new team, so losses like this are honestly expected,”  Muandumba said. “We haven’t been together very long, so the chemistry isn’t really there, it reminds me of my high school team growing up. Like at the beginning of the season,we never had it together just because it was always a fresh team, so you have to take a couple losses early on. But then as the season goes, you start to understand each other and you start to build that chemistry.”

    Muandumba     had      a    lot of insight on the Torero’s performance  and expressed hope for the team’s potential going forward  as  the    season   progresses. 

   “I would argue that we had a lot of turnovers in this game, we weren’t making some free throws,   and   we  only   lost   by three   points,” Muandumba said.  “That’s the   game  right   there,   which   really   shows    that   we   can be  a  good  team  and  we  have the potential to be a really good  team.  I  really  enjoyed  the game,  and  I  can’t  wait  to  see what  they  have  in  the  future.”

    In   the   JCP   during  the game, Bob Bartholomew was in the stands. Bartholomew was drafted for the Antonio Spurs in the 1981 NBA Draft and 17th pick overall. 

   An      alumnus     and     hall   of   fame member for USD, Bartholomew     was  honored  at  the start of the game. Bartholomew contributed during USD’s transition from NCAA Division II to Division I and remains one of the basketball program’s all-time leaders, ranking in the top five for both career points and rebounds. Bartholomew commented on the emotions surrounding being back at USD. 

   “It’s  fantastic,”  Bartholomew said.  “Jenny  Craig  is  so  pretty. You  know,  when  I  played, it was  at  the  Sports  Center.  And this  is  a  big  change  from  that. So  it’d  be  nice  to  see  a  few more  people fill  it  up,  but  it’s a  really  nice  facility.  And  they  do a   good  job  with  all  the pregame activities and everything.”

 Bartholomew   also  discussed his thoughts on the  USD’s team, which  is  made  up  of  mostly   new  recruits  this season. 

 “They  played   hard,” Bartholomew said. “I think they have some promise and hopefully will work out some kinks. Hopefully before the league really starts they get stronger.”

     Bartholomew          expanded on the team’s strengths and weaknesses based on what he saw in the JCP.

   “They        kept      after     it  and  they  got  it  close  at  the end,” Bartholomew said. “If they could just maintain that over a longer period of time, I think they’ll have success.”

     Though        USD       came up short, there was an overwhelming    support    from the    community  such  as the USD Dance Team, local basketball  teams  who  wanted to  see  a glimpse  of  the college level,  and    enthusiastic  students who  wanted  to  rally  together for the  newly assembled team. The Toreros will  make  another   appearance  at   the  Jenny  Craig  Pavilion on Nov. 18.  versus   Grambling   State as a part of the Acrisure  Invitational tournament, featuring NCAA Division I teams.

USD men’s basketball team after the first game of the season. Photo courtesy of @usdmbb/Instagram