Field Level Media
Nov 21, 2018
Isaiah Pineiro scored 27 points and Olin Carter III had 22 as host San Diego beat the Colorado Buffaloes 70-64 on Tuesday night.
The Toreros (4-1) made their last eight free throws to clinch the win.
Evan Battey had 18 points off the bench and McKinley Wright IV scored 14 for Colorado (2-1).
Colorado came out strong start to the second half to go in front. After Yauhen Massalski's layup gave San Diego a 37-33 lead the Toreros went more than five minutes without scoring, and the Buffaloes took advantage.
Tyler Bey tied it with a dunk and Battey's three-point play gave Colorado a 40-37 lead. The Buffaloes extended the advantage on Lucas Siewert's 3-pointer, and another basket by Battey made it 45-37.
It was 47-40 after Bey finished a lob pass with a dunk, but the Toreros rallied. Down 50-43, Pineiro hit a 3-pointer, and a Colorado turnover led to Carter's jumper to make it 50-48.
Battey's layup put the Buffaloes ahead 54-51, but Pineiro had a three-point play, and a dunk by Massalski gave San Diego a 56-54 lead.
After Wright tied it with a jumper, San Diego started to pull away. Carter hit a jumper, Pineiro drained two free throws and Colorado missed the front end of two one-and-one attempts.
The Toreros also missed the front end of a one-on-one, giving Colorado a chance to rally. Wright took advantage, converting a three-point play off an offensive rebound, and then he hit two free throws with 1:53 left to give the Buffaloes a 61-60 lead.
Pineiro answered with a dunk to put San Diego back in front. Wright committed an offensive foul on the next possession, and Bey's fifth foul put Pineiro back on the line where he drained two free throws.
Wright missed a 3-pointer and Siewert missed the follow, leading to two more free throws from Carter to make it 66-61 with 31.7 seconds left.
Shane Gatling made a 3-pointer with 22 seconds left but Colorado, which missed six free throws down the stretch, couldn't get closer.
--Field Level Media