SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — The San Diego Toreros used a balanced offensive attack to defeat the Pepperdine Waves 83-63 in a West Coast Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Jenny Craig Pavilion. San Diego led 39-31 at halftime and steadily extended its advantage in the second half before a crowd of 809. The Toreros improved to 7-10 overall, while Pepperdine dropped to 5-13. Ty-Laur Johnson led San Diego with 14 points and 10 assists. Adrian McIntyre added 16 points. Styles Phipps scored 18 points for the Waves, and Luka Vudragovic added 12.

SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — In a game defined by a decisive second-half surge, the San Diego Toreros pulled away from the Pepperdine Waves for an 83-63 victory in West Coast Conference men’s basketball action Thursday night at Jenny Craig Pavilion. A crowd of 809 saw the Toreros improve to 7-10 overall, while Pepperdine dropped its fourth consecutive game to fall to 5-13. The contest was closely contested for much of the first half, with San Diego holding a narrow 39-31 advantage at the break. The turning point arrived early in the second period. Leading 44-41, the Toreros unleashed a devastating 13-2 run over a span of just three minutes and 20 seconds. The burst was fueled by the backcourt duo of Ty-Laur Johnson and Adrian McIntyre, who combined for nine points during the stretch, including a three-pointer from McIntyre that pushed the lead to 57-43 with 16:59 remaining. Pepperdine, struggling with offensive consistency all night, could not mount a response. The Waves committed four turnovers during the Toreros’ run and never cut the deficit to single digits again. San Diego’s lead ballooned to as many as 23 points in the final minutes. The Toreros’ offensive efficiency was the story of the game. San Diego shot 54.2% from the field and 45.8% from three-point range, converting 11 of 24 attempts from beyond the arc. They also dominated the assist column, dishing out 12 helpers to Pepperdine’s seven, and forced 14 Waves turnovers while committing only 11 of their own. San Diego’s offensive rating of 122.6 on 68 possessions starkly contrasted with Pepperdine’s mark of 95.8 on 66 trips. Johnson, a sophomore guard from Brooklyn, orchestrated the San Diego attack with a double-double, finishing with 14 points and 10 assists. McIntyre, a junior from Sylmar, California, led all Torero scorers with 16 points. The San Diego bench provided a significant lift, outscoring Pepperdine’s reserves 38-23, led by 10 points apiece from Juanse Gorosito and Assane Diop. Pepperdine was led by guard Styles Phipps, who tallied 18 points and six assists. Forward Luka Vudragovic added 12 points off the bench. The Waves were hampered by poor shooting, connecting on just 42.2% of their field goal attempts and a frigid 21.7% from three-point range. They also missed nine free throws, going 20 of 29 from the line. The victory gives San Diego a positive start to the conference slate and snaps a two-game skid. Pepperdine, meanwhile, continues to search for answers during a difficult season, having now lost 10 of its last 12 games. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, San Diego entered with a 59% probability to win. The Toreros covered the pregame spread of -4, and the total score of 146 landed just under the over/under line of 147. San Diego travels to face Pacific on Saturday. Pepperdine returns home to host San Francisco the same day.

SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — Two West Coast Conference men’s basketball teams seeking to reverse recent slides will meet Thursday when the San Diego Toreros host the Pepperdine Waves at Jenny Craig Pavilion. Pepperdine (5-12) enters on a four-game losing streak, most recently falling 74-69 at Pacific on Sunday. San Diego (6-10) has dropped three straight, including a 98-70 defeat at Santa Clara on Sunday. Both teams are 0-2 in conference play. The matchup features a compelling duel at guard between Pepperdine’s Styles Phipps and San Diego’s Ty-Laur Johnson. Phipps, a key facilitator for the Waves, is averaging 11.6 points and 4.6 assists over his last seven games. He scored 14 points with four assists in the loss to Pacific. Johnson has been a dynamic scorer for the Toreros, averaging 19.4 points over his last five contests. He is coming off a 21-point, seven-assist performance against Santa Clara and scored 21 points in a narrow 99-93 loss to Gonzaga on Dec. 30. Pepperdine’s struggles have been pronounced during its current skid, losing by an average of 26.5 points in home defeats to Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s. The Waves have not won since a 70-62 victory at Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 13. San Diego has shown flashes, pushing Gonzaga to the brink and securing a 66-54 conference win over Pacific on Dec. 28. However, defensive consistency has been an issue, allowing an average of 90.3 points during its three-game losing streak. The Toreros hold a slight historical edge at home in the series. Both teams will look to this game as a critical opportunity to gain momentum before continuing their WCC schedules this weekend. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. PST.