SAN DIEGO –  Zyon Pullin had 20 points, Callum McRae added 16 and the Highlanders outrebounded the University of San Diego, but UC Riverside saw six-point first half lead in an eventual 74-62 loss to the Toreros Wednesday night at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
 
Shooting 40 percent from the field, making only 2-of-15 three-point attempts and 12-of-21 free throws on the night, the Highlanders (2-2) found themselves up against a Toreros team that got a game-high 21 points from Joey Calcaterra, as USD (3-1) answered every comeback attempt by the Highlanders with another mini run of their own.
 
Both teams came into the contest at 2-1 in their first meeting since 2009 and 13th in the all-time series, which now stands at 9-4 in favor of USD.
 
Pullin and McRae established themselves early as UCR enjoyed a first-half surge before the hosts went on an 11-0 run to create the separation that would last the rest of the game.
 
The Highlanders went right to McRae to start the second half after his nine points paced the first 20 minutes for UCR, but USD widened its lead to 13 into the first break of the second half.
 
Down by as many as 17 points, the Highlanders kept clawing back, with a Flynn Cameron corner three trimming the deficit to 5, at 52-47, with 7:36 remaining. The Toreros remained hot at the free-throw line, and upped their back to 13 with under a minute to play before Pullin's three-pointer notched the final points of the night for UC Riverside.
 
The Highlanders will return home to host Bethesda at SRC Arena on Saturday at 4 p.m.