Box Score |
LISTEN TO PAT OLSON'S CALL OF THE BUZZER BEATER
PORTLAND, Ore. --
Cole Dickerson's three-pointer from the left wing with 0.01 left lifted USF to a 75-72 victory over the Portland Pilots Thursday night at the Chiles Center.
Dickerson's three gave the Dons their only lead in the second half and completed a furious second half comeback that saw USF rally from an 11-point deficit to win its second straight game.
With the win, USF improves to 9-11 overall and 2-5 in the West Coast Conference while Portland falls to 8-13 overall and 1-5 in the WCC.
De'End Parker led all USF scorers with 16 points, including seven in the last 9:15 as the Dons erased an 11-point Pilot lead down the stretch. Dickerson's three-pointer capped a 15-point scoring night. Avry Holmes finished with nine,
Chris Adams and Tim Derksen each had eigth and
Cody Doolin finished with seven, including a game-tying three-pointer with 1:02 left.
The Dons, who had been hampered by poor shooting over the last two games, shot 53.2 percent from the field and made nine three-pointers to earn their second road win of the season and sixth straight victory over the Pilots.
After two free throws by Avry Holmes drew the Dons to within one-point at 70-69, Kevin Bailey's runner in the lane gave Portland a 72-69 lead with 1:20.
Doolin tied the game with a straight-away three-pointer with 1:02 remaining and following a miss by Portland's Oskars Reinfelds, the Dons got the ball back with a chance to take the last shot.
With time winding down, Doolin kicked the ball to the left wing where Dickerson drained the game-winner with 0.01 left..
"Cody made a nice stop on Reinfelds to set-up Cole at the end of the game," said head coach
Rex Walters. "Cody has been in that position so many times and this time he found the open man who was Cole and he came up big.
"I think we can play better, especially defensively. But Iove our heart and how hard we play."
USF will travel to Spokane tomorrow to meet the 10th-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs on Saturday at the McCarthey Center. Tip off is set for 5:00 p.m.
