USD Beats SDSU for the First Time Since 1976, 81-64
SAN DIEGO — halftime, the game essentially was over, and well-wishers came by to congratulate former University of San Diego Coach Jim Brovelli (now at University of San Francisco), who was in town scouting.
“Pretty neat, huh Jim?” one said.
“It was just a matter of time,” Brovelli said. “Just a matter of time.”
And so it has come full circle. It was Brovelli who last led USD over San Diego State, but that was back in 1976. In 1985, it finally has happened again, as the Toreros defeated the Aztecs, 81-64, Saturday night at the Sports Arena, a game that clearly illustrated where each team is headed.
San Diego State is headed south. It is 0-6, its worst start since 1923, and it must go to the Nevada Las Vegas Rebel Roundup Tournament next week, where it’s bound to be 0-8. The Aztecs shot 26.5% in the first half Saturday night, and, thus, trailed by 18.
Coach Smokey Gaines told his players at halftime to make the first three minutes of the second half count. They did not. Then leading scorer Anthony Watson twisted his right ankle.
“When it rains, it pours,” said Gaines, who has been playing without two starters on the front line.
The Aztecs, who insanely tried to go inside in the first half with a four-guard offense, began to make jump shots later in the game, and they did rally to within 12 points with 6:08 left.
They got close, but Creon Dorsey came down, never looked to pass and fired a 20-footer. Brick. And that was that.
It really did get ugly. At one point, the score was 50-24, and Gaines had Dave DesRochers in the game. DesRochers is a football player (the defensive lineman spent all season on the scout team) who asked to join the squad when injuries hit. Gaines agreed, and DesRochers even got to shoot two free throws.
The first was an airball.
He swished the second.
Anyway, Gaines said: “Tough times right now. We probably played our worst game all year . . . A game like this really hurts. This is a devastating blow for us. Why? The kids are young, and have to go on the road and play two games next week. We’re trying to get that first win and get over the hump. But we couldn’t.”
Meanwhile, USD is headed north. Its record stands at 5-3, and its front line is smart and shoots well. Scott Thompson, a 7-footer, had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Forwards Mark Manor and Nils Madden scored 12 and 10 points respectively. And it helps when guard Pete Murphy has a career-high 22 points.
“They’ll do very well in the conference,” Brovelli said.
He should know because USF also is in the West Coast Athletic Conference.
USD Coach Hank Egan especially was happy with his defense, and it was Murphy who pestered Watson into 5 of 11 shooting in the first half (Watson ended with 13 points).
“This was a pressure game for us,” Egan said. “We felt we had to win. We had never won against State before (Well, not in nine years).”
Said forward Mark Bostic: “I think it would been a better win if they had had all their guns. But any win is good.”
By the way, only 2,941 showed up at the Sports Arena.
“Just 2,900 in the stands tonight?” Gaines asked. “You think that’s a rivalry? This is the lowest crowd we’ve played in front of this year.”
When it was over, the “Mayor’s” trophy was presented to Egan.
“At least I don’t have to take the trophy to my car,” said San Diego State publicist Bill Finley, smiling. “I don’t have to have it engraved either. We just saved 10 bucks.”
