Box Score
SAN FRANCISCO -- It's fitting that on Senior Day USF's only senior would save one of his signature performances for his final home game in Memorial Gymnasium.
Such was the case this afternoon, as
Cole Dickerson scored 15 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to help USF to a 64-59 victory over the Pacific Tigers.
The win improves USF's overall record to 18-10 and its West Coast Conference mark to 11-5, good for third place behind Gonzaga and BYU. BYU plays host to Portland tonight while the Zags visit San Diego. Pacific falls to 14-13 and 5-11 in league play.
Sophomore
Avry Holmes scored 12 of his team high 15 points in the second half and knocked down two big free throws with :18 left that gave USF a 62-59 lead.
After Holmes' free throws,
Mark Tollefsen gathered a rebound off a Tony Gill missed three-pointer that was well-contested by Dickerson and converted both free throws with nine seconds left to account for 64-59 final score.
Tollefsen finished with 11 points to join Holmes and Dickerson in double figures.
The Dons shot 47.8 percent for the game and limited Pacific to 40.7 shooting from the floor. It marks the fifth consecutive game USF has held the opponent under the 70 point mark.
Trevin Harris led all Tiger scorers with 15 points while Sama Taku added 14.
The Dons had the better of it in the first half and built a 33-21 lead at intermission. However, the Tigers outscored USF 13-1 to start the second period and tied the game at 34 on a jumper by Gabriel Aguirre at the 15:27 mark of the second half.
It would remain a one possession game until Tollefsen converted a pair of free throws with nine seconds remaining.Â
The Tigers had brief leads of one point on three occasions down the stretch, the last time with 3:55 remaining, after Khalil Kelley's slam dunk off a Harris assist.
A three-pointer by Holmes over Pacific's zone gave the Dons a 57-55 lead with 2:30 left, but Taku answered on the other end to tie the game at 57 with 1:44 left.
Dickerson's layup with 1:14 left gave the Dons a 59-57 lead they wouldn't relinquish, as USF posted its seventh win in nine games.
For Dickerson, it was his seventh double-double of the season and 21st of his career.
USF will close out the regular season schedule next week with games at Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount.
Rex Walters' Post Game Comments
"It wasn't pretty but Pacific is a tough team. We didn't play our best game but Pacific had a lot to do with that. At the end, we found a way to get the win."
"Kruize and Cole were in foul trouble for much of the game and we were searching for some combinations that would work. I though
Matt Christiansen stepped in and gave us some real solid minutes."
"It was one of those games you know you are coming off an emotional high and that's when you find out what you're made of. We found a way to get it done."
"Avry loves those moments. He loeves to have the ball in his hands when the game is on the line."
"I'm sure emotions played a big part with Cole today. He doesn't show much on the outside but he wanted this one bad for obvious reasons."
