The San Diego Toreros own one of the great first-round upsets of the modern era. In 2008, as a 13-seed, USD stunned fourth-seeded Connecticut 70-69 in overtime — Brandon Johnson's floater in the extra period sealing one of the most shocking results in tournament history. It remains the program's signature win and a March immortal.
The Jenny Craig Pavilion — yes, that Jenny Craig — is one of the WCC's great home courts: intimate, scenic, and loud when the students fill it. Torero basketball has always been the little brother in San Diego, playing in the Aztecs' considerable shadow but carving its own identity.
The Toreros' history includes the 2003 NCAA tournament trip and consistent WCC contention in the 2000s. The program's identity is pure underdog: smart, tough, and built to ruin somebody's March.
The crosstown dynamic with San Diego State defines the program's ambition: the Toreros want what the Aztecs have, and the 2008 UConn upset proved the ceiling is real. In a city that loves a winner, USD keeps chasing the breakthrough.
What defines the Toreros is the UConn stunner. A 13-over-4 for the ages, a beloved bandbox, and a program that proved it could play with anyone. In San Diego, the Toreros are still hunting the encore — and March is always the plan.
Brandon Johnson's 2008 floater deserves its own monument: the overtime game-winner — 70-69 over UConn — the most famous shot in program history. The 13-over-4 stunner made the Toreros March immortals.
The Jenny Craig Pavilion's intimacy is the program's charm: 5,100 seats, yes-that-Jenny-Craig, and one of the WCC's great home courts. When the Toreros are rolling, the building shakes.
The 2003 Dance was the original: the program's first tournament trip — the announcement that USD had arrived. The 2008 encore proved it was a program, not a moment.
In the WCC's wars, the Toreros play the little brother with pride: the Aztecs' shadow is long, but the 2008 tape proves the ceiling. The encore is the mission.
In San Diego, Torero basketball is the 2008 UConn stunner: 70-69 in overtime, the most famous shot in program history. The Jenny Craig Pavilion believes the encore is coming.
The Toreros' WCC wars are the proving ground: Gonzaga, Saint Mary's — the league's giants, and USD keeps punching. The 2008 tape proves the ceiling is real.
A new era begins on Alcala Park. On March 9, 2026, the University of San Diego named JR Blount the 15th head coach in program history, turning the page on the four-year Steve Lavin experiment. Lavin — the former UCLA and St. John’s coach who came out of the broadcast booth in 2022 — finished 46–79 overall and 18–47 in West Coast Conference play, with just one winning season (18–15 in 2023–24). USD announced in February 2026 that he would not return, closing a tenure of flashes and frustration.
Blount arrives from Iowa State, where he spent five seasons on T.J. Otzelberger’s staff as the Cyclones piled up a 124–52 record, won the 2024 Big 12 Tournament championship and reached the Sweet 16 in 2022 and 2024. The 2025–26 Cyclones opened 16–0 with wins over No. 1 Purdue, No. 2 Houston, No. 9 Kansas and No. 14 St. John’s — a finishing school in winning at the highest level. “JR is an outstanding leader, a relentless competitor and one of the brightest rising coaches in college basketball,” said athletic director Kimya Massey at the announcement.
The task is real: the Toreros went 12–21 (5–13 WCC) in 2025–26, and leading scorer Ty-Laur Johnson departed the program down the stretch. But Blount’s résumé is built on toughness and player development — the Cyclone calling card — and his first roster will be judged on whether the Toreros can finally defend like they mean it. The Jenny Craig Pavilion’s 5,100 seats have waited a long time for a team worth the noise.
The crosstown dynamic hasn’t changed: across town, the Aztecs just made a Final Four and now play in the Pac-12. USD’s best basketball moments — the 2008 UConn stunner, the 2003 breakthrough — came from playing fearless underdog ball. Blount’s Iowa State DNA fits that identity perfectly. March in San Diego has belonged to one program for a decade. The Toreros hired a winner to change that.
The WCC road doesn’t get easier: Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s still rule the league, Santa Clara is coming off an NCAA trip, and San Francisco hosts Gonzaga at Chase Center in February. USD’s path back runs through the middle of the pack — Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, Portland — where a tough, defensive identity travels. Blount cut his teeth in Ames, where defense is doctrine and the Hilton Coliseum crowd is the extra man. If he can bottle even a fraction of that at the Jenny Craig Pavilion, the Toreros’ ceiling moves. The 2026–27 schedule will test the new staff early: nonconference games are where new coaches steal confidence, and USD needs every bit of it before WCC play opens. The encore to 2008 isn’t one game anymore — it’s a program, built brick by brick.