Box Score
WASHINGTON, D.C. --
Cole Dickerson scored a team-high 20 points while De'End Parker added 19 to lead USF to an impressive 67-53 victory over American University on Monday night at Bender Arena in Washington D.C.
The win improves USF's record to 2-1 overall while the Eagles fall to 1-3.
Point guard
Cody Doolin finished with a solid stat line that included nine points, eight assists and four rebounds, while freshman Tao Xu scored eight points in his first collegiate start before fouling out.
USF shot 53.1 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Eagles, 28-19.
Daniel Munoz scored 16 point while Serra High product Stephen Lumpkins added 13 to pace American.
The Dons got the quick start head coach
Rex Walters was hoping for, as USF scored the first six points of the game and built as much as a 10-point first half lead at 17-7 at the 12:43 mark.
A 13-2 run gave the Eagles their only lead of the game at 20-19 with 8:25 remaining in the first half but the Dons answered the rally and led at the half 33-31.
Parker scored 13 of his 19 points in the first half while Dickerson and Doolin added seven each.
USF took quick command of the second half by scoring the first six points after the break which sparked a 16-5 run that gave the Dons a 49-36 lead with 13:06 remaining. American could draw no closer than nine points down the stretch.
"I'm really proud of our guys," said USF head coach
Rex Walters. "It's tough to win the road and our guys were really up to the challenge tonight."
Walters was especially proud of the Dons defensive effort, even though the Eagles shot 52.4 percent from the field.
"They were shooting 47 percent from three-point range coming into the game so chasing them off the line was a major point of emphasis this week. We limited them to 31 percent shooting and their top two players (Lumpkins and Munoz) only got 18 shots between them."
The Dons also outrebounded its third straight opponent, with Dickerson taking game-high honors with seven boards. Parker, Doolin and Avry Holmes also added four rebounds.
"We team rebounded really well," said Walters. "I thought our guards did a really nice job."
Former USF All-American Ollie Johnson was in attendance tonight and addressed the team following the game.
USF will return to action on Saturday night as the Dons play host to Columbia at Memorial Gymnasium. Tip off is set for 7:00 p.m.
