Box Score
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- USF hoped a home game against Holy Cross would help snap a two-game losing streak before the team departed the Diamond Head Classic which starts Saturday in Honolulu.
Holy Cross had other ideas, as the Crusaders rolled to a 73-63 victory over the Dons behind Dave Dudzinski's 31 points. The win marked the Crusaders fourth straight win over the Dons, who saw their record drop to 5-4. Holy Cross improved to 7-4.
Cody Doolin had 18 points for USF while
Cole Dickerson added 17 points to go along with 17 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. De'End Parker chipped in 10, with seven coming in the first half.
USF managed to shoot just 37.7 percent on its homecourt, where it was unbeaten in four previous games this season. The Dons also struggled from three-point range for the third straight game, shooting just 25 percent (5-for-20) from long distance.
The Dons were also outrebounded for the fourth straight game, 41-34.
Dudzinski scored 17 of his 31 points in the first half as the Crusaders built a 43-36 lead at intermission.
Phil Beans hit a three-pointer on the Crusaders first possession of the second half to increase the lead to 10 at 46-36.
Holy Cross built as much as a 14-point lead at 60-46 with 10:24 left. USF cut the lead in half and trailed 61-54 after a Dickerson slam with 6:34 left.
USF still trailed by seven at 66-59 with 4:05 remaining but managed to score just four point the rest of the way en route to its third straight defeat.
"We can't think that just because we are on our home court something magical is going to happen," said head coach
Rex Walters. "The magic happens when you are working on your game. You can blame it on youth but no one cares about that."
USF will depart for Honolulu on Thursday morning and face San Diego State in the first round of the Diamond Head Classic on Saturday. Tip off is set for 3:00 p.m. PT and the game will be televised live on ESPNU.
