CLEVELAND -- Mark Tollefsen scored a team-high 17 points while Tim Derksen and Matt Christiansen added 11 but USF dropped a 69-65 overtime decision at Cleveland State to close out the Dons' non-conference schedule.
 
Anton Grady scored 17 points while Charlie Lee added 15 to pace the Vikings (6-6), which made 9-of-19 three-pointers on the day.
 
USF's leading scorer Kruize Pinkins, who fouled out with 1:33 left in regular, was held to just nine points in 22 minutes. USF shot 45.8 percent from the field but made just 12-of-21 free throws in the overtime loss.
 
The Dons (6-6) had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, but misses by Tim Derksen and Matt Glover near the buzzer sent the game into overtime.
 
The Dons made three turnovers and did not make a field goal in the extra period leading to a third loss in four games.
 
Tollefsen scored 12 of his 17 points in the first half and the Dons shot 50 percent from the field to build a 30-26 lead at intermission. His second 3-pointer of the first half gave the Dons its largest lead at 25-14 with 5:37 remaining. The Vikings stayed within striking distance by nailing 6-of-9 of their three-pointers in the first 20 minutes, including two each by Trey Lewis and Charlie Lee.

There were seven ties and seven lead changes in a tightly contested second half.
 
Cleveland State tied the game for the first time at 43 but the Dons answered with a layup by Christiansen and a 3-pointer by Derksen that boosted the lead back to five at 48-43 with 10:40 remaining.
 
Pinkins was forced to the bench after picking up his fourth foul with 9:03 left and the Vikings took their first lead of the game less than two minutes later at 52-51 with 7:39 remaining.
 
With Cleveland State leading 59-57, Lee missed a three-pointer which led to a game tying layup by Derksen. Anton Grady was then called for an offensive foul but Pinkins was whistled for his fifth foul on the Dons next possession. Lee then canned a long three to give the Vikings a 62-59 lead with just under a minute remaining. Derksen then tied the game by drilling a three-pointer with 47 seconds left.
 
Following a Vikings miss, the Dons had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, but a potential game winning shot by Derksen and a follow by Glover missed their marks sending the game to overtime tied at 62.
 
Three USF turnovers helped Cleveland State build a 66-63 early in the overtime period. After Matt Christiansen made 1-of-2 free throws to cut the lead to 66-64 with 1:29 left, the Vikings turned the ball over but the Dons missed two chances to at least tie the game.
 
Lee gathered a Derksen miss and after being fouled by Tollefsen, then 1-of-2 free throws to give the Vikings a 67-64 lead with 20.7 left. Corey Hilliard, who finished with a career high nine points, made 1-of-2 free throws for USF to cut the lead down to 67-65, but Lewis sealed the game with a pair of free throws for the final count of 69-65.
 
The Dons will open West Coast Conference play Saturday at Pacific. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m.