Box Score
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- After back-to-back road wins at Pepperdine and BYU, USF returned to its homecourt in Memorial Gymnasium on Thursday night with thoughts of making another move up the WCC standings at the expense of the struggling Portland Pilots, who had dropped seven out their last eight games entering the contest.
At the end, it was the Dons who were left scratching their heads after dropping a 78-76 decision to the Pilots.
Cole Dickerson and
Chris Adams each had 17 points to pace USF (11-14, 4-8 WCC) in scoring. De'End Parker added 14 while Avry Holmes and
Cody Doolin also reached double figures with 12 and 11 points respectively.
Kevin Bailey scored a game high 18 points for the Pilots, which improved to 10-17 overall and 3-9 in WCC play.
USF had no answer for Portland down low, as the Pilots outscored the Dons 38-20 in the paint while holding a 40-33 advantahe on the boards.
Portland overcame an early 13-7 deficit and built a seven-point lead at halftime, 40-33.
The two teams were never separated by more than six points in the second half, but the Dons only lead came at the 9:49 mark, when Adams nailed a jumper to give USF a 55-54 advantage.
Portland then went on a 11-4 run to take a 65-59 lead with 5:48 left. The last six points in the run came off easy layups by Tanner Riley and Riley Barker.
After a Bryce Pressley jumper gave the Pilots a 72-67 lead with 2:53 left, the Dons scored the next five points to tie the game at 72 with 2:01 remaining. Parker's putback after his initial shot was blocked by Thomas Van Der Mars was the equalizer.
Wit Portland leading 74-72, the Dons had a chance to tie or take the lead after Doolin forced a Pilot turnover with :56 left. However, Parker misfired on a medium range jumper with :32 left which led to a breakaway basket on the other end which gave the Pilots a 76-72 lead.
A Doolin layup brought the Dons back to within two at 76-74 but another layup by Van Der Mars gave the Pilots a 78-74 lead with :14 left.
Dickerson misfired on a three-pointer on the Dons next possession as the Dons six-game winning streak against the Pilots came to an end.
"Portland played a good game and I thought they were a lot tougher than we were," said USF head coach
Rex Walters. "As proud as I was after the BYU game, this is one of the most disappointing losses we've had since I've been here. There was no defensive intensity. Portland usually plays in the 60's and they scored 78 on us.
"We talked about agressiveness and toughness but we just didn't do it tonight."
USF will return to action Saturday afternoon when the Dons play host to fifth-ranked Gonzaga beginning at 1:30 p.m. in Memorial Gymnasium.
