SAN FRANCISCO – The University of San Francisco men's basketball team didn't make its first 3-point field goal until there was 8:01 left in the game. The Dons started the contest 0-for-13 from beyond the arc before
Frankie Ferrari connected on a three in front of the Dons bench. That was how the game went for USF, as both sides struggled to find the shooters touch with both defenses swarming all over the ball. Ultimately, after a tense final five minutes the Dons came away with the 61-57 win on Wednesday night.
After leading for the entire contest, USF (5-0) found itself behind 50-49 with 5:06 to go when Harvard's (2-3) Spencer Freedman hit a pair of free-throws. The two sides traded the lead over the next two minutes when
Jamaree Bouyea hit both of his free throws to give the Dons the lead for good with 4:08 to play.
Bouyea was one of four Dons in double figures, finishing the night with a career-high 14 points – eight coming after the intermission. Joining Bouyea in double figures was
Frankie Ferrari with 14 points,
Charles Minlend with 10 and
Matt McCarthy who had his second double-double of the season with 12 points and a career-high tying 14 rebounds.
Nate Renfro provided a big defensive play when he rejected a shot by Chris Lewis, Bouyea got the rebound and hit a triple in transition that put the Dons up four and the Crimson could not respond.
Harvard was led by Lewis' game-high 16 points, he was joined by Danilo Djuricic with 14 points and Noah Kirkwood who had 12.
GAME NOTES
- The Dons shot a season-low 32.3 percent from the field going 20-fo-62 from the field. From beyond the arc the Dons were 2-for-18.
- Defensively, USF continues to hold teams to less than 60 – the Crimson scored a season-high 57 points against the Dons who entered tonight fifth in the nation in scoring defense, holding teams to 49.5 points per game.
- With Ferrari's three, the Dons have made a 3-point field goal in 370 confirmed games going back to the 2010-11 season. That streak is almost assuredly longer.
- Matt McCarthy's double-double is the ninth of his career, the 14 rebounds gives him 11 10-plus rebound games for his career.
- USF continues to get buckets in the paint, the Dons finished the night with 36 of their 61 points in the paint.
NEXT UP
The Dons will stay at home for one more game when they host Dartmouth on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Saturday's contest will be streamed live on TheW.tv with
Pat Olson and Jim Brovelli on the call. Fans can also tune into 1550-AM The GAME, the official home of USF Dons basketball for a radio broadcast. Tickets to the game against Dartmouth can be purchased at
Dons Ticket Central.
Following Saturday's game, the Dons will fly to Northern Ireland on Monday to participate in the Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic. USFDons.com will have a daily journal with pictures and player quotes as they experience Belfast.