Box Score
RENO, Nev. -- USF shot a season-low 34 percent from the floor and were outrebounded 45-30 margin as the Dons dropped a 59-51 decision to the Nevada Wolf Pack Saturday in Reno.
The loss, USF's second straight, drops the Dons record to 5-3 while Nevada improves to 7-4 on the year.
USF managed to shoot just 19.2 percent from the floor in the second half. The Dons, the nation's fourth-best three-point shooting team coming into the game, were just 2-for-15 from long distance. The Dons were also plagued by 18 turnovers.
The two teams combined to make just 4-of-38 shots from long distance.
USF was led by three players in double figures, including
Cole Dickerson with 11 and 10 each from Tao Xu and Tim Derksen. Nevada was led by Deonte Burton's 14 points.
USF led 27-26 at halftime, but made just 1 of its first 15 shots to start the second half and fell behind by 15 points at 49-34 with 7:20 left.
Nevada could not put USF away, however, as the Dons went on a 11-2 run to cut the lead to 51-45 with 4:14 left.
Derksen's put back basket off a
Cody Doolin missed cut the lead to three at 54-51 with 1:06 left however the Dons would not score again, as free throws by Burton and Jordan Burris down the stretch acounted for the final eight point margin.
USF will be back in action on Tuesday night as the Dons meet Holy Cross in Memorial Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.
