Post-Game Comments and Game HighlightsSAN FRANCISCO -- Despite a career high 30 points from senior
Kruize Pinkins, USF dropped an 81-76 decision to the Eastern Washington Eagles Thursday night in Memorial Gymnasium.
The loss, USF's first at home this season, drops the Dons record to 5-4 while the Eagles improve to 8-1 with their fifth straight win.
Pinkins also grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds to go along with his 30 points for his third double double of the season.
Tim Derksen finished with 14 and
Mark Tollefsen added 13 for the Dons in a losing effort.
Four Eagles reached double figures, led by Ognjen Miljkovic, who scored 20 points. Tyler Harvey added 19 wile Kelly Parker and Venky Jois contributed 15.
The Eagles nailed 12-of-25 three-pointers, including four each by Miljkovic and Harvey while Jois added three of his own.
The Dons shot 48.2 percent from the field, even though they managed to make just 6-of-20 three-point attempts on the evening. USF also had the better of it on the boards, 43-28.
However, the Dons managed to make just 16-of-30 (53.3) of their free throws in suffering a five-point loss on its home court. USF is now shooting just 57 percent from the line on the season.
Harvey scored 12 of his 19 points in the first half, as the Eagles took a 10-point lead at intermission, 40-30.
The Dons chipped away and eventually cut the lead down to one at 56-55 after Pinkins made 1-of-2 free throws with a little over 10 minutes remaining. USF tied the game for the first time at 57-57 on a Derksen layup at the 9:03 mark and took its first lead at 58-57 on a Pinkins free throw with 8:13 remaining.
Derksen's three-pointer with 4:47 left gave the Dons their largest lead of the night at 67-64, but Kelly quickly tied the game with a three-pointer on the other end on the Eagles next possession. It would be the first three points in a decisive 9-0 run that boosted the Eagles lead to six at 73-67 with 2:21 left.
The Dons could draw no closer than three points down the stretch before succombing, 81-76.
USF will return to action Monday night when the Dons host Cal Poly beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Memorial Gymnasium.
