CHENEY, Wash. -- On most nights, the Dons will like their chances when they score 90 points, make a school-record 18 three-pointers, shoot 54.7 percent from the field and are plus-five in the rebound column. Add to the mix 27 points from Ronnie Boyce and 17 from Jordan Ratinho and the Dons will be hard to beat on most nights.
 
However, despite a record-setting shooting performance, USF suffered its first loss of the season, 96-90 to the Eastern Washington Eagles in a wild shootout at Reese Court in Cheney, Wash.
 
The Dons had no answer for junior forward Bogdan Bliznyuk, who finished with a game-high 32 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field and 12-of-13 from the line. Sir Washington and Felix Von Hofe finished with 21 points each and Ty Gibson added 10 to lead the Eagles to their third straight win over the Dons dating back to the 2014-15 season.
 
While the Dons (4-1) had no trouble scoring, getting stops at key moments of the game presented its own challenge. Trailing 71-65 with 6:13 remaining after a Boyce three-pointer, Eastern Washington made its last eight shots from the floor, four of which were three-pointers, to come away with a six-point victory.
 
The Eagles shot 54.5 percent for the game, including a blistering 63 percent in the second half to overcome a seven-point halftime deficit. EWU also took advantage of 16 Dons turnovers which lead to 18 points and outscored the Dons in the paint, 30-20, with Bliznyuk doing most of the damage down low.
 
The two teams combined for 31 three-pointers, as the Eagles drilled 13 of their own to improve to 5-2 on the season.
 
"We just couldn't get a stop when we needed one," said USF head coach Kyle Smith. "We had our opportunities but this is a learning lesson for us. We just didn't deliver defensively. The defensive numbers were atrocious. We just have to take it to heart and get back to work,"
 
USF made six consecutive shots from distance to open the game and built as much as a 15 point lead at 29-14 following a three-pointer by Ratinho. The Dons made 11 of their 18 three-pointers in the first half to open a 46-39 at the break.
 
The Eagles cut the lead down to six at 29-23 after a Sir Washington completed a three-point play. Freshman Remu Raitanen quieted the run with a three-pointer on the Dons next possession and then after two free throws by Foster, the Dons lead was back to nine at 34-23.
 
EWU crept to within four at 43-39 on a Von Hofe triple, but Boyce answered with the Dons 12th three-pointer of the first half to give USF a 46-39 lead at intermission.
 
The Eagles outscored USF 13-4 to start second half to tie game at 52 at the 14:08 mark.
 
EWU tied game again at 75 with 4:32 left on a Bliznyuk layup and took its first lead of the night on the next possession when Ty Gibson drained a three-pointer from the left corner with 4:09 left.
 
Ratinho kept the Dons alive with a pair of game tying three-pointers, the last coming with 2:11 left which knotted the game at 83-83.
 
However, Von Hofe was quick to answer with his fifth three of the night to give the Eagles an 83-80 lead with 1:44 left. The Dons turned the ball over on their next possession and Washington made one of two free throws to boost the Eagle lead to four at 87-83 with 1:05 left.
 
After Boyce cut the lead to 87-85, Washington nailed a three to make it a five point game at 90-85 with :36 left. The Eagles then made all six of their free throws over the last 20 seconds to hold off the Dons, 96-90.
 
USF will return to action Wednesday night when it plays host to Alcorn State at War Memorial in the Sobrato Center beginning at 7:00 p.m.