The University of San Diego found itself on the wrong side of a close finish.
Despite standout performances from Olivia Owens and Kylie Ray, the Toreros fell 80-76 to Washington State on Thursday night at the Jenny Craig Pavilion, marking USD’s sixth loss this season decided by five points or fewer and extending its losing streak to three games.
Owens delivered one of her strongest all-around performances of the season, finishing with 31 points, 12 rebounds and six assists while playing nearly the entire game. The freshman guard kept San Diego within striking distance throughout, scoring at all three levels and repeatedly answering Washington State runs.
Owens was just embracing the game and letting the game come to her all night, she said. She wasn’t trying to force too much and had to trust the process throughout the game.
Ray added 21 points, providing a steady second scoring option as the Toreros leaned heavily on their backcourt. Ray knocked down timely jumpers late and attacked the basket to keep the deficit manageable in the final minutes. It was Ray’s first game back after a week away with a leg injury and missing USD’s game in Portland.
“It’s not really the end,” head coach Blanche Alverson said. “It’s kind of the beginning of when you can look and say ‘We’ve got to have a better start so that we don’t get in that position in the first place.’”
San Diego briefly seized momentum midway through the third quarter, taking a 49-47 lead, its largest advantage of the night. But WSU responded with a balanced scoring effort and reclaimed control down the stretch.
“Basketball is a game of runs, so it’s all about keeping your composure,” Owens said. “There’s going to be highs and lows. It’s about the team who can take the punches, take the highs and lows and just ride it out to the end.”
The Cougars led for more than 32 minutes and sealed the win at the free-throw line in the final seconds, holding off a late Toreros push after Ray pulled USD within two under a minute remaining.
“Usually, when I’m looking at the stats, this is a winning game for us,” Alverson said. “It’s unfortunate.”
USD shot 43.1% from the field and stayed competitive on the glass but struggled to string together stops in the closing minutes as Washington State converted key possessions late. USD’s Lily Amor played the entire 40 minutes of the game, being a constant on defense while Dresha Moore had seven points as well. Eva Ruse and Helen Holly brought in a combined 18 rebounds, helping the Toreros beat WSU on the glass by the end of the night.
“When you’re trying to really establish a program and learn how to win, it gets harder before it gets easier,” Alverson said.
For the Toreros, the loss was a familiar script – strong individual performances, a tightly contested game and another narrow defeat that slipped away in the final moments.
