Krallman Has a Night to Remember inr USD Victory

Senior forward Steve Krallman came off the bench to score a career-high 18 points to lead the University of San Diego to a 77-71 victory over UC Santa Barbara in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at Goleta.

Krallman, from Anaheim, was 5 of 7 from the field and 8 for 8 from the free-throw line. Krallman had scored 14 points against San Jose State in 1984. Guard Paul Leonard also scored 18 points for USD (4-2), making 6 of 6 from the field.

USD’s 7-foot center Scott Thompson became the first Division I player in USD history to score 1,000 career points. Thompson, who scored 17 Saturday, reached the milestone with a jump shot early in the fist half.

Thompson had 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks.

UCSB (2-3) was led by Brian Shaw’s game-high 21 points. USD dominated the first half, taking a 43-28 lead at halftime. The Toreros led by as many as 17 points in the second half when Thompson scored on a bank shot to give USD a 54-37 lead with 14:27 remaining.

But UCSB outscored the Toreros 29-16 late in the second half, cutting the lead to 70-66 with 2:56 left. Shaw, Brian Johnson and Brain Vons each scored six points in the comeback. Johnson hit his third three-pointer of the night to cut the Torero lead to 70-66.

Krallman sealed the victory for USD with a layup and a slam in the final minute.

“It was a good win,” said USD Coach Hank Egan. “Our kids are a little tired from being on the road and they lost some of their intensity.”

USD was playing its fifth road game of the season.

USD shot 58.7% from the field, making 27 of 44. UCSB made 48% of its shots.