Box Score
LOS ANGELES --
Cody Doolin's layup with 0.05 seconds remaining in the game lifted USF to a 61-59 victory over Loyola Marymount Thursday night at Gersten Pavilion.
Doolin's game-winner came after the Dons had squandered as much as a 20-point lead in the first half and a 15-point cushion at intermission.
After a three-pointer by
Cole Dickerson tied the game at 59 with 1:00 remaining, USF's defense forced the Lions to take a desparation three-pointer before the shot clock expired. When Chase Flint's shot missed badly, the Dons got the ball back with 20 seconds remaining.
Doolin had the ball between the circles on the left side and with time winding down, drove hard and beat Anthony Ireland on the right side and laid the ball off the glass for the game winner.
The Dons had to be wondering how they got themselves into such a predicament that they had to rely on a buzzer beater to win the game.
USF scored the first eight points of the game and built as much of a 20-point lead at 38-18 at the 5:38 mark of the first half.
The Dons nailed seven three-pointers and shot 51.7 percent from th floor in the first half and enjoyed 15-point, 40-25 lead at the break.
However, USF came out cold in the second half, hitting just one of their first eight shots from the floor and the Lions slowly began chipping away at what seemed to be a safe lead.
The Lions used a 21-5 run, capped off by an Ireland three-pointer, to cut the Dons lead down to one at 46-45 with 7:58 left.
A layup by Doolin and a three-pointer by Dickerson boosted the Dons lead back up to six at 51-45 with 6:17 remaining.
However, Ireland scored the Lions next six points, including a three-pointer that tied the game t 51 with 4:36 remaining.
USF quickly answered with another three-pointer by Dickerson and a pair of free throws by Avry Holmes to take a 56-51 lead with 3:24 left.
Four free throws by Ireland brought the Lions to within one point at 55-56 with 2:48 remaining.
Following a Doolin turnover, Alex Osborne dunk over Frank Rogers gave the Lions their first lead of the game at 57-56. Rogers was called for a foul on the play and also picked up a technical foul which led to a four-point play which gave the Lions a 59-56 lead with 2:20 on the clock.
After both teams came up empty on their next possessions, Dickerson tied the game with his fourth three-pointer of the game with 1:00 left.
With USF keyed on Ireland on the Lions next possession, Flint missed badly on a three-pointer as the shot clock expired, giving the ball back to the Dons to set up Doolin's game winner.
Doolin finished with 13 points while Dickerson scored a team-high 16 for USF, which saw its record improved to 12-15 overall and 5-9 in the West Coast Conference.
Mark Tollefsen made his first career start and finished with 11 points on 5-o-f7 shooting from the field.
Ireland led all scorers wth 21 points for Loyola Marymount, which dropped to 8-19 and 1-13 in the WCC.
The two teams combinded for 33 turnovers, with the Dons making 17. USF were also outrebounded, 37-27.
"We didn't play well in the second half but
Cole Dickerson made some big threes down the stretch.
Cody Doolin is
Cody Doolin. He walked off the court and was looking at me as if to ask, 'Did you doubt me?'"
"We'll take it but we have to rebound the ball better. We gave up 14 offensive rebounds tonight. It's a big concern of mine, obviously."
USF will return to action Saturday when the Dons play host to Pepperdine at Memorial Gymnasium beginning at 6:00 p.m.
