Michael Williams Scores Game-High 21; Perris Blackwell Adds 15
(Las Vegas) – USF battled and gave Gonzaga all it wanted, but could not secure the win, dropping a 71-67 decision in the semifinals of the 2011 Zappos.com West Coast Conference Tournament Sunday night at the Orleans Arena. The Dons (17-14) tournament run ends, while the Zags (23-9) advance to Monday's title game against Saint Mary's.
San Francisco will find out if its strong finish to the 2010-11 season will be recognized with the program's first postseason berth since 2004-05. Selection Sunday for the NIT, CIT and CIT Tournament fields will be unveiled March 13.
Sophomore guard Michael Williams scored a game-high 21 points, while sophomore forward Perris Blackwell added 15 points and nine rebounds. Junior guard Rashad Green chipped in nine points with five rebounds.
"I am proud of the way our guys competed," USF head coach Rex Walters said. "Tonight was the first time we have competed that well in that kind of environment. That was like a road game. I give Gonzaga a lot of credit. They made the plays they needed when they needed them."
After a skittish first half, USF came out energized and made a strong push to start the second half on a 14-9 burst and closed to within three, 46-43 on a 3-pointer by Angelo Caloiaro with 14:29 remaining. The Dons cut the lead to five on two occasions: 44-39 on a pretty finish by Diarra with 16:10 left in regulation and again with 7:56 on another nifty move by the Frenchman to make the score 56-51 Gonzaga.
A USF steal and a breakaway lay-up by Marko Petrovic pulled the Dons to within three, 61-58 with 3:37 to go. A pair of free throws by Angelo Caloiaro made it a two point game, 62-60 with 2:48 left in regulation. After two Gonzaga free throws by Marquise Carter, Blackwell cut the lead to two once again at 64-62 with 35 seconds left.
Carter made the Dons pay dearly in the final minute, going 7-for-8 from the line, staking the Zags to a 68-62 advantage with 19 seconds on the clock. Williams hit a 3-pointer with nine seconds to go. Green stole the ensuing inbounds play and USF called time out with none left. Carter sealed the win at the stripe.
"We played harder and better in the second half," Diarra, the lone Dons senior said. "They just made more winning plays than we did."
San Francisco held a 10-9 advantage with 14:53 remaining on a pretty spin move by Diarra, but Gonzaga roared back with a 14-2 run to take a 23-12 lead with 8:33 left in the half. USF went nearly four minutes without points. USF cut the deficit to eight, 33-25 on a floater in the lane by Williams with 90 seconds left before recess, but Gonzaga answered for a 10-point lead at the half, 35-25.
USF shot at a chilly .364 (8-22) clip in the opening period and a frigid .167 (1-6) from 3-point range. Gonzaga hit at a .517 (15-29) rate, .125 (1-8) from deep. Blackwell led the way for the Dons with nine points in the opening 20 minutes.
San Franciso did not take care of the basketball and turned it over 16 times, leading to 19 points for the Bulldogs. After a rough start, USF shot .542 (13-24) from the field after the intermission elevating the Dons to a .457 (21-46), .294 (5017) from deep rate for the game. The Zags hit at a .407 (22-54) clip, but made just 7-of-25 from the field in the second half (.280). The Green and Gold held a 34-30 rebound advantage.
