USD needed an unlikely effort off the bench to pull past struggling Pepperdine on Thursday.
USD trailed by ten in the second half but rallied behind a 16-2 run.
Isaiah Wright (10 points) and junior guard Olin Carter III (11 points) each canned a three-pointer during the surge to help the Toreros move in front 59-58.
USD made enough free throws down the stretch to hang on 68-66.
Little-used Jose Martinez splashed five treys against the Waves and finished with a career-high 16 points.
Isaiah Pineiro contributed 12 points and Tyler Williams added 11 points, giving the Toreros five players in double figures.
They needed every single point to avoid what would have been an embarrassing loss.
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Pepperdine has only won four games all season and is last in the West Coast Conference standings with a paltry 1-12 league record.
Pepperdine got 20 points from Colbey Ross and 19 from Matthew Atewe but did not have a consistent third scoring option.
USD improved to 16-9 overall and 7-6 in the WCC.
San Diego is actually having a better season than San Diego State, who is 13-9 overall and in eighth place in the Mountain West Conference after dropping five of its last seven contests.
The Toreros are tied with Pacific University for 4th place in the league and host the Tigers this coming Thursday, February 15th.
