TOREROS MOVE TO 3-0 ON YEAR

Townsend’s personal 8-0 run in first half breaks open game

It was a nice but not particularly special weather Sunday afternoon in San Diego.

Hey, folks have a lot of things to do.

But at some point, sports fans in America’s Finest City should head over to Jenny Craig Pavilion and check out Steve Lavin and his University of San Diego Toreros, a deep, versatile and entertaining bunch who improved to 3-0 with a 74-64 win over New Jersey Institute of Technology in front of a crowd of 835 and an empty student section.

Winning basketball? How about the Toreros having four starters score in double figures, holding a 4036 edge in rebounds and turning the ball over only six times? Entertainment? How about senior guard Jase Townsend going on his own personal 8-0 run late in the first half with a runner in the paint, a smooth inside/out dribble move for a layup and a four-point play off a made 3-pointer plus a foul shot to break open a tight game and give the Toreros an eight-point lead that was never really threatened from that point on?

Townsend finished with a team-high 21 points and made 4 of 7 3s.

Forward Jaiden Delaire finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks, ultra versatile wingman Eric Williams Jr. posted 16 points, 12 rebounds and two steals and rugged guard/forward Marcellus Earlington finished with 12 points and five rebounds.

Miles Coleman led NJIT

(0-3) with 28 points to go with nine rebounds, but the Islanders were held to 39.6 percent shooting and did not hold a lead after Townsend’s first-half run.

Much as their wins over Sonoma State and Florida Gulf Coast, the Toreros got stops when they needed them, made runs when their opponent slumped and emerged as the better team by early in the second half.

“It’s good to be growing while we’re winning,” Lavin said. “We have a group with five returnees and 12 newcomers so definitely a growing process, but I like that we have that winning mindset. This is a group that is coming together.”

The Toreros played without starting guard Sigu Sisoho Jawara, who scored in double figures in each of the first two games, and was out with illness.

Wayne McKinney III (Coronado) started in his place and played just under 30 minutes, finishing with five points and five assists while playing his usual stout defense.

The Toreros held a lead for just under 31 minutes of game clock, finished 15 second-chance points and made 10 of 22 3-pointers.

The competition will get tougher Thursday night against 2-0 Utah State and presumably Jenny Craig will have more bodies in the building.

Townsend’s pitch to people who may want to come on out and see a game?

“You see we’re 3-0 and it’s not a f luke,” Townsend said. “I feel like we’re bringing a whole new swag to the school so hey, folks: ‘come on out and see what we can do. We’re having fun and bringing excitement.’ ”