Torero Athletics: Season-ending Injury for Hood; Men's Basketball Wins Fourth in a Row

The women’s basketball team’s leading scorer, senior forward Maya Hood, suffered a season-ending ACL knee injury in USD’s 67-44 win over Seattle University on Dec. 12. An MRI revealed the tear, which occurred on a rebound in the second quarter of the game. The projected recovery period is eight-to-12 months after surgery, which is scheduled to happen in the next few weeks.

"Obviously, it’s a very unfortunate injury for Maya and for the basketball program," said USD Head Coach Cindy Fisher. "But I think the one thing that Maya has done is handle it with great grace and great strength, just like she handles everything. She continues to be a great leader for the program and this is an opportunity for others to grow and for others to have more time. We will get through this and Maya's strength will help us get through it."

Hood has played an integral part in USD’s multiple 20-win seasons over the past four years. Last season she was the West Coast Conference's Defensive Player of the Year. Hood is currently USD's leading scorer with an 18.1 points-per-game average. She also leads USD in rebounds per game (8.1) and leads the WCC in steals-per-game (2.1).

Hood’s 163 points this season moved her into seventh place all-time at USD for points with 1,301. She’s fourth all-time in rebounds with 756.

The women’s basketball team looks to win its third game in a row when it hosts North Dakota on Wednesday in a 5 p.m. game in the Jenny Craig Pavilion. Conference play starts with home games on Dec. 29 (6 p.m.) and Dec. 31 (1:30 p.m.) against San Francisco and Saint Mary’s, respectively.

Men’s Basketball Tops 100 Points, Extends Win Streak to Four 

Olin Carter III scored a career-high 34 points, connecting on 10-of-11 shots from the field and making all eight free throws, to lead the USD men’s basketball team to a 105-89 victory over Anaheim’s Bethesda University on Dec. 17 in the JCP.

The victory gave the Toreros a winning record (6-5) for the first time this season and its fourth win in a row.

"Getting to a winning record feels great, and from where we have come from, this is really good for the kids to see some success," said USD Head Coach Lamont Smith. "Obviously, we know we still have a lot of work to do on both sides of the ball. I thought Olin's 34 tonight was a quiet 34. He was really efficient. We knew when we recruited him that he could score and he's been doing that. He's also becoming a very good leader for this team."

The rest of USD’s starting lineup — Brett Bailey, Cameron Neubauer, Juwan Gray and Tyler Williams — each scored in double figures. Bailey and Neubauer both had 17, Gray added 16 and Williams chipped in 12. Bailey had 10 rebounds and Gray and Neubauer each had nine rebounds.

USD closes out nonconference play Thursday at North Texas in a 5 p.m. Pacific game. Hear the action on ESPN Radio 1700 AM. Conference play starts Dec. 29 at San Francisco at 7 p.m. and then on Dec. 31, 6 p.m., at Saint Mary’s. 

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