BYU basketball heads to San Diego looking for success where it hasn't always found it

PROVO — There’s something about San Diego.

No, this isn’t a travel brochure or a mailer for a vacation getaway.

But there's something about San Diego when it comes to the BYU basketball playing against a team that, for a brief spell, was considered a "travel partner" when it joined the West Coast Conference.

At first glance, it doesn’t seem like a big deal. The Cougars are 14-5 all-time against the Toreros, a team that has yet to break into the top three in the league since BYU joined in 2011-12.

Furthermore, BYU is 12-5 against USD since that season seven years ago.

But eight of those wins have come at home, as BYU has never lost to the Toreros in the Marriott Center, with two more coming at the WCC Tournament in Las Vegas.

So, when traveling to San Diego, the Cougars are just 4-4, including a 75-62 loss a year ago. It's BYU's only loss in the last four tips against USD.

Again, there’s something about San Diego.

"I think that’s just a good program," BYU center Luke Worthington said. "They play really tough in their building; they shoot the ball well, they're a very experienced team, and they try their best to play their game.

"Fortunately, for them, they've been able to do that — set the tempo and make it a grind for us in their building."

This year's San Diego team is like most others. Returning almost their entire lineup from a year ago, the Toreros have outscored opponents 73.5 to 68.0 en route to a 16-9 record, with wins over Weber State, Colorado, San Diego State, Grand Canyon and San Francisco, to name a few.

Led by Utah transfer Isaiah Pineiro, who averages 19.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, the Toreros are big, physical and savvy veterans in coach Sam Scholl’s first season as the full-time head coach at his alma mater.

So, even though the Cougars (16-10, 8-3 WCC) have yet to face USD — it's the only team in the conference against which they can make that claim, with just five games left — they know what they are getting.

"Yeah, it will be different, for sure," BYU senior McKay Cannon acknowledged. "It's the only team we haven’t played, and a lot of guys haven’t played them at all. The freshman will get a little dose of San Diego on the road. But we’re excited for them, and for the opportunity to go out on the road and give it our best shot."

It's a good time to be playing a challenge. After a humbling 30-point home loss to No. 4 Gonzaga — the worst home loss in the Dave Rose era — BYU is riding a three-game winning streak and using a stingy defense that has held all three opponents below the 60-point mark.

But three of the Cougars' final three games are on the road, including a rematch with the Zags in Spokane on Feb. 23. Those are paired with a home finale against USD, as well as a Feb. 21 home tilt against San Francisco — a game that could decide the No. 2 seed in the conference tourney, with BYU currently holding a 1.5-game lead on the Dons.

Taking Gonzaga out of the picture, the next three-game slate could decide BYU's postseason fate — starting with this week's road trip.

"This is a really important road trip for us. The challenge is always difficult to win on the road in the league, but these teams both play really well at home," Rose said. "You're not just going to go in there and just play; they won’t beat themselves. We've got to go in and beat them."

Jahshire out

After an MRI exam over the weekend, BYU guard Jahshire Hardnett has been ruled out for Thursday’s game at San Diego (8 p.m. MST, Spectrum SN/KSL Newsradio). The junior guard re-aggravated a hand injury, and though the exam revealed no breaks, Rose said he’s in "a lot of pain" and likely won’t play in the first game of the road trip.

Saturday’s 2 p.m. MST tip at Loyola Marymount (Spectrum SN/KSL Newsradio) is more unsure.

"Maybe he'll be back on Saturday, but we’ll see,” Rose said. “He’ll make the trip with us, and we’ll see how it goes."

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