LAS VEGAS – Postseason play tips off Thursday for the 10th-seeded Pacific men's basketball program when it faces 11th-seeded San Diego in the opening game of the Credit Union 1 West Coast Conference Championship at 2:30 p.m. at Orleans Arena.
 
Pacific (9-23, 4-14 WCC) and San Diego (5-26, 2-16 WCC) split a pair of meetings this season. In the most recent game, the Tigers won 71-69 at home on Feb. 6. It came on a game-winning drive by junior Lamar Washington with 12 seconds left, followed by a last-second stop defensively. Washington submitted a game-high 19 points, five rebounds and four assists.
 
Washington represented Pacific on the All-Conference Teams by earning All-WCC Second-Team nods. Washington broke the school record for assists in a season with 183, topping Leonard Armato's mark of 178 in 1973-74. Washington ranks top-15 in the nation in total assists and top-30 in assists per game. He averages 13.4 points and 5.7 assists per outing, and ranks second in the WCC in steals (1.6 spg).
 
Junior Elijah Fisher is the team's leading scorer with 15.9 points per game, followed by fellow Canadian, senior Elias Ralph with 14.6 points per outing. Fisher ranks top-five in the conference in scoring and field goal percentage (.487), while Ralph is top-five in blocks (1.2 bpg).
 
Ralph has submitted nine double doubles on the year, which ranks top-40 nationally. Washington has turned in three double doubles, including two in points/assists and one in points/rebounds.
 
Fisher ranks top-15 in the country in both free throw attempts with 208 and free throws made with 154. Fisher shot .510 from the floor in conference play.
 
San Diego finished its regular season on a high note after beating Portland 82-80 on Saturday. It came on a 35-point performance by Kody Clouet, who averages 8.7 points per game on the year. The Toreros have been strong in transition this season and rank 26th in the country in fast break points with 14.0 per game.
 
If the Tigers win, they will play seventh-seeded LMU at 8:30 p.m. Friday. Pacific's four conference wins this season came against San Diego, LMU and Washington State twice. All three of those opponents are in Pacific's bracket for the first three games, if the Tigers were to advance each day.
 
NOTES
- Pacific and San Diego will meet on a neutral court for the first time ever. The Tigers are 17-13 all-time against San Diego.
 
- The Tigers surpassed their conference win total by four games from last season. They've also surpassed their season win total by three games so far.
 
- Pacific was 3-1 in conference games decided by three points or less.
 
- In all nine of Pacific's wins this year, the team has outscored the opposition in the paint.
 
- This past Saturday, Pacific honored Petar Krivokapic on Senior Day. Krivokapic transferred to Pacific after playing the previous four years at FIU. Krivokapic is averaging 7.0 points per outing for the Tigers and shot .372 from long range in conference play.
 
Tigers Tickets
Tickets for upcoming events can be purchased through the PacificTigers.com tickets tab, or by calling the Box Office at 209-946-2474.  Groups of 10 or more are eligible for a group discount and exclusive fan experiences.
 
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