San Diego Toreros Basketball

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Team
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san-diego-toreros-basketball
Short Name
San Diego
Abbreviation
USD
Sport ID / Foreign ID
620d5944-7156-47d3-aad5-5b3824557d03
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Men's College Basketball
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WCC Basketball
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WCC Basketball
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#00275d
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#2f99d4
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Standard
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Men's Basketball
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https://www.vividseats.com/san-diego-toreros-mens-basketball-tickets--sports-ncaa-basketball/performer/6021?wsUser=899

Siena and San Diego: Cheers to the Automatic Bids

Mar 22, 2008
For at least one day the names of Gyno Pomare, De’Jon Jackson, Kenny Hasbrouck, and Tay Fisher occupy the consciousness of college hoop fans across the nation.

We’ll have to see if through the years these names carry the same importance as those of Keith Smart (the shot in ’87), Jack ‘Goose’ Givens (41 points in the ’78 title game), and Ed Pinckney (a miraculous run in the ’85 tournament)—guys whose achievements after college never lived up to their undergraduate accomplishments.

All that matters right now is what Pomare, Jackson, Hasbrouck, and Fisher did yesterday: help their thirteenth-seed, automatic-bid San Diego Toreros and Siena Saints advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

This feat contradicted the assertions of many college basketball analysts, Robert Montgomery Knight being the most vocal, who think the NCAA should do away with the ‘automatic’ bid.

It isn’t often that I disagree with Knight (notice I didn’t suggest that I would defend all of Knight’s actions and statements), but I do think in this idea the General is wrong.

I have previously mentioned my love for conference tournaments. Knight criticizes these post-season games as nothing more than another opportunity for revenue. Most of these tournaments pre-date the era of sports as a money-making monster.

Knight also criticized the NCAA committee for not choosing sixty-four best teams in the country. He’s right.

But is that what the tournament is about?

Or is the tournament about giving representation to all conferences and therefore all teams?

Siena and San Diego proved to be more than worthy opponents yesterday. They also provided another example of why we all watch sports: that chance to see the inevitable take place before our very eyes.

Thank you Siena and San Diego, for earning automatic bids and playing out of your minds yesterday.

March Madness: 32 Hours Later And My Bracket Is Broken

Mar 21, 2008

I guess it's better than last year...so far! 

I still have three of my four Final Four picks moving on to the second round, while this time last year I was cursing the basketball gods after losing my champion and another final qualifier on the first day. 

At least this year, I wasn't naive enough to pick Washington State to win it again, right?

Every year millions of us trek to websites and newspapers, get stuffed full of college basketball analysis, and fill out our brackets only to be disappointed with our picks within the first two days of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. For the few who are able to withstand the first two rounds without losing one of their Final Four picks, I salute you.

This year, I decided to take a different approach than past years. I decided to fill out my brackets dumb. 

No that's not a typo, I really did that this year. 

The last two years, I watched more college basketball than I wanted to and paid attention to more analysis than I would have likeed; only to have progressively worse brackets each year. 

This year, I paid little to no attention to the conference races, the polls, and the conference tourney's, except of course tracking my beloved Pacific Tigers. After the season, (knowing the Tigers were not going dancing) I selected my brackets paying attention only to record, conference, past knowledge of the team, coaching, and history of the program. 

Like I said, I filled out my bracket dumb.

After day one, I really thought I was on to something. Out of the sixteen games, I picked all but one and really, did anyone outside of Kansas think USC was going to lose to K-State? 

O.K., maybe someone did. 

Maybe, someone that knew less than me actually picked them to win. So, as I sat atop my pool this morning, I couldn't help but boast when seeing a fellow competitor. 

I was feeling real good!

Although, I'm normally watching the game on my PC while working, I wasn't able to during the first wave of games Friday morning. What?!?! I didn't say that I couldn't work and watch PC-TV at the same time! Anyway, doesn't everyone? 

When I finally tune back into the tourney, I come to find that I've lost one of my Sweet 16 teams, St. Mary's, and Gonzaga is about to do their usual nosedive against a lesser opponent. Instead of asking myself, "Why didn't you see that coming?" I went along with my day and paid it no attention. 

I guess I should probably tell you that my Final Four teams this year are Georgetown, North Carolina, Stanford, and...well hold on. So I tune back in a couple of hours later only to find out that UCONN has finally tied San Diego and the game is going into overtime.

UCONN has it in the bag right? 

Err, well it turns out, they didn't and yes they were my last Final Four team.

At the time of this writing, I'm eight out of fifteen so far with Villanova and Clemson tied and 1:37 left on the clock. I picked Clemson to make it to the Sweet 16, sorry Tiger fans. I guess I can take solace in the fact that even though my new method didn't pay off, at least I didn't put a ton of effort into it.

Maybe next year, I'll consult a psychic while filling in my brackets. Does anyone know if Cleo is still around?

San Diego Toreros: 2008 Tournament Analysis

Mar 17, 2008

Boston Redsox General Manager Theo Epstein is basking in glory right now. 

His alma mater, the University of San Diego is in the Big Dance and will be playing the UConn Huskies at 3 p.m. Friday in Tampa, Florida. Epstein received his law degree from the University of San Diego in 2000.  

Will Epstein make the game? Epstein sure will hoping he can—the Red Sox are off on March 21st, but are scheduled to be in Japan on March 22nd.   

The San Diego Toreros finished the season 21-13 overall and 11-3 in WCC play. 

On paper San Diego does not appear to be a good three-point shooting team at 34 percent. They make an average of 4.9 three pointers per game on 14.5 attempts. The 4.9 threes per game ranked San Diego last in WCC conference play.

They average 65.6 points per game while giving up 63.4 (+2.2 point margin). San Diego ranked fifth in scoring offense and fourth in scoring defense. They average 33.7 rebounds, while opponents average 31.9 (+1.8 margin).

San Diego also appears sloppy with the ball as they have more turnovers (510) than assists (452) for a (-58 margin). Opponents, though have committed 520 turnovers on the year or 15.29 per game.

San Diego's record against other tournament teams (4-7):

55-66 loss to UNLV
71-77 loss at Boise State
50-60 loss to USC
55-77 loss to South Alabama
81-72 win at Kentucky
70-80 loss at Gonzaga
63-55 win over Saint Mary's
55-59 loss to Gonzaga
54-61 loss to Saint Mary's
75-69 win over Saint Mary's
69-62 win over Gonzaga

San Diego is peaking at the right time of the year, winning five-straight games. They are 7-6 on the road and 1-2 on neutral courts.

Top scorers for San Diego:

Brandon Johnson, 16.9 ppg (third in conference in scoring)-

Johnson, a 6-foot guard, was named to the WCC first team for the first time this year. Johnson led the league in steals at 2.24 per game. Johnson shoots 37.4 percent from beyond the arc and led the WCC with 2.24 makes per game.

Gyno Pomare, 13.9 ppg

Pomare, a 6-foot-8 forward, is a two-time All-WCC First Team selection.

Rob Jones, 8.8 ppg

Jones, a 6-foot-6 freshman, had an outstanding year, leading to being named to the WCC All-Freshmen Team.

Interesting facts about the University of San Diego:

San Diego's home attendance is 2,770 per game on the year, they play their home games at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.

The University of San Diego campus is used for several scenes in the movie Almost Famous.

This is the first time the WCC is sending three teams to NCAA Tourney (Saint Mary's, Gonzaga).

A Torero is a bullfighter.

First NCAA berth since the 2003 season.

Head Coach Bill Grier was an assistant coach at Gonzaga. This is his first year as head coach.

San Diego had lost 13 straight games to Gonzaga until defeating them in the WCC Championship Game.

Notable Alumni:

Theo Epstein (GM of Red Sox)
Bill Bavasi (GM of Seattle Mariners)
Bernie Bickerstaff (Charlotte Bobcats Executive Vice President)
Mike Brown (head coach of Cleveland Cavaliers)
Eric Mussellman (former head coach of Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors)

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