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San Diego, CA \u2013 December 28: Juanse Gorosito #4 of University of San Diego drives in for a three point play against Pacific on December 28, 2025 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred \/ The San Diego Union-Tribune)<\/p>\nThe way coach Steve Lavin sees it, the University of San Diego has a \u201cback-loaded team playing a front-loaded schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Toreros not only entered the 2025-2026 season with 14 new players. Since then, eight key players have missed significant game and practice time due to injuries and illness.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to be at our best at the end of the season, which is what you want,\u201d Lavin said recently. \u201cBut the time lost developing due to player absences has slowed the process. And we\u2019re in the toughest part of our schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tuesday night being the very toughest part.<\/p>\n
The Toreros host seventh-ranked Gonzaga at 6:30 p.m. for the final time as a West Coast Conference opponent. Gonzaga is the second nationally ranked foe the Toreros have faced in the last three weeks and their third Quad 1 NET opponent in the last four games.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not there yet,\u201d Lavin said recently of the Toreros\u2019 development. \u201cBut our upside is intriguing. I can\u2019t say for certain what the ceiling might be. But we have the potential to do some things very well. We are closer to being at full strength for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n
The list of missing USD players was long even before practices formally began. The Toreros\u2019 five international players didn\u2019t reach campus until just before classes began.<\/p>\n
Freshman guard Boden Grant has yet to dress this season. Now a starter, 6-foot-10 freshman forward Alejandro Aviles missed the season\u2019s first seven games and more than a month of practice with a back injury. Redshirt freshman forward Gavin Ripp rolled an ankle in the first exhibition against San Diego State and missed the season\u2019s first six games and accompanying practice. Freshman guard Caleb Versher has missed the past seven games.<\/p>\n
Freshman guard Brandon Benjamin missed three games and more than two weeks of practice with a concussion and has seen limited playing time since.<\/p>\n
The Toreros\u2019 leading scorer and top playmaker, Ty-Laur Johnson, missed one complete game, all but three minutes of another and some practice time due to an elbow injury. And starting guards Juanse Gorosito and Dominique Ford missed time due to illness.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was weird at times who was available and who wasn\u2019t,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cWe had some practices with more players watching than playing.\u201d<\/p>\n
San Diego, CA \u2013 December 28: Juanse Gorosito #4 of University of San Diego drives in for a three point play against Pacific on December 28, 2025 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred \/ The San Diego Union-Tribune)<\/p>\n
Explained Lavin: \u201cWhen you are introducing 14 new players to your program at the same time, it\u2019s a difficult task. When so many of those players are also missing time, it\u2019s even tougher. Time together on the court is the only way to learn.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were doing more musical chairs than developing there for a time. We fell behind on identifying our best rotations and combinations. We were riddled with some dilemmas when other teams were finalizing systems.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re closer now to setting a starting lineup and knowing who is next up in certain situations. And we\u2019re a team that uses a lot of defensive looks \u2026 from 1-2-2 full-court pressure to falling back into a zone and help-oriented defense. There is a lot of time and energy involved in the process \u2026 time we missed when players were absent.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe luxury we have is the flexibility to play in different ways. We\u2019ve got depth at guard. We can go big or we can stretch the court. We definitely want to play in high gear and turn up the tempo.\u201d<\/p>\n
But the Toreros have struggled in several areas, especially rebounding. Opponents are averaging 36.3 rebounds per game to USD\u2019s 31.0.\u00a0Gonzaga, meanwhile, has a plus-11.5 rebound differential.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are forcing other teams to turn the ball over. Our pressure has been good and consistent,\u201d Lavin said. \u201cBut our rebounding has not been where we need to get it, although it was there when we needed it late in the Pacific win.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got a lot of interesting parts. We\u2019ve seen what Johnson can do. His game is electric. Gorosito can light it up from distance. (Toneari) Lane is clutch. (Vuk) Boskovic can rebound, defend and shoot from the outside. We\u2019re just seeing hints from Ripp, (Darrae) Goodwin and Ford.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then Lavin came to Aviles and graduate guard Adrian McIntyre.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlejandro is so aware for a freshman,\u201d Lavin said of the Puerto Rican Aviles. \u201cHe thinks and feels the game, the mental as well as the physical. And McIntyre has the knack for basketball. He finds a way and steps up in tough situations.\u201d<\/p>\n
USD (6-7, 1-0 WCC) vs. No. 7 Gonzaga (13-1, 1-0 WCC)<\/p>\n
When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday<\/p>\n
Where: Jenny Craig Pavilion<\/p>\n
On the air: ESPN+<\/p>\n
Last time out: USD led\u00a0 9-0 and 15-2 and never trailed in 66-54 West Coast Conference-opening win over Pacific at home. Ty-Laur Johnson led the Toreros with 22 points and six steals, while Juanse Gorosito had 17 points and two steals and Toneari Lane had 12 points and two steals. Vuk Boskovic had 10 defensive rebounds.<\/p>\n
Series history: Gonzaga leads the all-time series, 83-21.<\/p>\n
Toreros update: USD is 3-1 over the past four games. The Toreros will be at a size disadvantage at every position. USD\u2019s four leading scorers are guards: Johnson (13.7 ppg), Gorosito (10.8), Lane (10.8) and Adrian McIntyre (8.8).<\/p>\n
Bulldogs update: This is the Zags\u2019 last WCC game against USD before Gonzaga moves to the Pac-12 for the 2026-2027 season. Gonzaga has won six straight games since losing 101-61 to Michigan on Nov. 26 in Las Vegas,\u00a0 defeating No. 18 Kentucky (94-59) and No. 25 UCLA (82-72) along the way. On Sunday, the Zags opened WCC play with a 96-56 win at Pepperdine. Braden Huff leads Gonzaga with 18.5 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 66.9% from the floor. Graham Ike is averaging 16.7 ppg and 8.5 r pg, while Tyon Grant-Foster is averaging 11.7 ppg and 5.1 rpg. Gonzaga is shooting 52.2% as a team from the floor and 37.5% from 3-point range. Gonzaga holds a nearly 26-point-per-game scoring margin.<\/p>\n
Next up: Friday at USF, 7 p.m.<\/p>\n
\u2014 BILL CENTER<\/p>\n
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