SAN DIEGO — Back-and-forth runs in the first half and a late push by the San Francisco women's basketball team defined the Dons' Saturday afternoon's clash at San Diego, but the Toreros held on in the waning minutes to fight off a comeback attempt and win on the final day of the West Coast Conference regular season, 66-59.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• San Francisco (6-23, 2-16 WCC) made it interesting in the fourth quarter, shaving down what was a 15-point San Diego lead to single digits. Shannon Powell scored five consecutive points and Abby Rathbun added a steal and a runner for a 7-0 USF run at the six-minute mark. Later, when USD built its lead back up to 12, the Dons went on an 8-3 run that cut it to just seven.
   
• But the Toreros (9-20, 2-16 WCC) were able to hold on by forcing two USF turnovers in the final 48 seconds. USD missed eight free throws in the final two minutes of the game, including four in the last 33 seconds, but San Francisco could pull no closer.
   
• Cold spells by San Francisco in the first half allowed San Diego to go on multiple runs and pull away, even after the Dons had made it close. USF went on a 10-2 run in the first quarter to tie the game at 10-10 after San Diego had started the afternoon scoring the game's first eight points. The Toreros bounced back with six consecutive points in the final two minutes of the period and lead 16-10. USF went 0 for 3 with a turnover during that same stretch.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 15: San Diego's bench outscored USF's reserves 15-6. Kiera Oakry scored 11 points in 27 minutes and Aminata Dosso scored four.
• 16: Rathbun scored a season-high 16 points, including 11 in the second half. She pulled down six rebounds and also had an assist.
• 17: Nia Alexander scored 17 points to give her 35 on the weekend. She had 18 Thursday at BYU. She entered the weekend averaging just 7.7 points per game.

COMING UP

• San Francisco travels to Las Vegas next week for the 2019 University Credit Union WCC Championship Tournament at the Orleans Arena as either the No. 9 or the No. 10 seed, to be determined between the Dons and the Toreros by the release of the national RPI rankings on Sunday. The Dons will play in the first round on Thursday, either in the No. 8 vs. No. 9 game at noon, or the No. 7 vs. No. 10 game at 2 p.m.
   
• Fans can find all live coverage links for the 2019 UCU WCC Championship Tournament on USFDons.com.