SAN FRANCISCO -- Head coach Rex Walters admitted his team wasn't as good as its back-to-back 30-plus point wins to start the season and isn't as bad as the team that has now lost two straight after dropping a 78-71 decision to Cal Poly in Memorial Gymnasium. However, 10 games into the season and with conference play looming, the Dons are still trying to find their middle ground.

The Dons were outmuscled and outhustled by a Mustang team that entered the game with a 3-4 record. USF lost the battle of the boards for the first time this season, 41-30, allowed the Mustangs to shoot 50.9 percent from the field and made just 10-of-23 free throws on the night as the Dons record dipped to 5-5 on the year. After winning the first three games of the season, the Dons are 2-5 over their last seven contests.

Mark Tollefsen finished with a team high 16 points for USF while Kruize Pinkins added 14 and Tim Derksen 13 in a losing effort. Chris Adams also came off the bench to nail four 3-pointers en route to a season high 12 points.

David Nwaba scored a game high 19 points for Cal Poly while Reese Morgan (17) and Brian Bennett (14) also reached double figures.

The Dons jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead in the game only to see the Mustangs score the next eight points to take their first lead of the game at the 16:11 mark of the first half. Cal Poly held a four point lead at 24-20 with 6:40 left before intermission before going on a 7-2 run to take a nine point lead at 31-22 and settled for a seven point lead at the break, 34-27.

Cal Poly jumped the Dons to start the second half with a 10-3 run that increased the lead at 14 at 44-30 at the 17:06 mark. USF got the lead under 10 points at 57-50 on an Adams' three-pointer with 9:03 left.

The Mustangs' lead was still seven at 66-59 with 4:14 showing on the clock when the Dons used a 9-2 run, capped off by a Tollefsen three-pointer, to tie the game at 68 with 2:35 left. The Dons took a short lived lead at 70-69 when Matt Glover knocked down a pair of free throws with 2:08 remaining.

With Cal Poly hanging onto a 71-70 lead with 1:54 left, Derksen missed a pair of free throws and Nwaba made the Dons pay on the other end with a three-pointer that made it 73-70 with 1:21 remaining.

The Mustangs got a big stop on the Dons next possession, as Joel Awich turned back a Derksen layup which led to a Bennett jumper that gave Cal Poly a 75-70 lead with :27 left. The Mustangs then finished the Dons off at the line, winning by the final of 78-71.

USF will return to action Thursday night when the Dons host Portland State beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Memorial Gymnasium.

Rex Walters' Post-Game Comments

"We weren't very efficient offensively and I thought we shot a lot of quick, contested ones early that got us down. We weren't very committed to getting second or third touches or even paint touches. They do a good job in changing up their defenses and that was a concern coming in."

"We played hard in the second half but defensively we weren't good at all tonight. Physically they kicked our butt."

"They got 10 offensive rebounds on 20 some odd shots - that's a pretty high percentage. We didn't make free throws down the stretch either."

"We're fragmented right now. We have talent and ability but there wasn't great buy in in doing what we do. It's my job to get them to buy in and to come up with a scheme that works for this team. I know what works and now it comes down to getting them to do it and I haven't done a good enought job at that."

"The question for us right now is are we going to commit to the way we play."