Box Score
HONOLULU, Hawaii -- USF went toe-to-toe with San Diego State for about 28 minutes before the 16th-ranked Aztecs pulled away for a 80-58 victory in the first round of the Diamond Head Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.
The loss, USF's fourth straight, evens the Dons season record at 5-5 while San Diego State improves to 10-1 overall.
USF will meet Ole Miss, which lost in overtime to Indiana State earlier in the day, at 10:00 a.m. HT Sunday morning.
Cole Dickerson recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds while
Cody Doolin and De'End Parker finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively, however, the Dons had no answer for Chase Tarpley, who finished with a game high 33 points for the Aztecs.
Tarpley made 13 of 19 shots from the floor, including 6-of-10 from three-point range in a 35 minute playing stint. Jamaal Franklin added 11 and DeShawn Stephens and Xavier Thames chipped in with 10 each for the Aztecs, which shot 55.2 percent from the floor and ourebounded the Dons, 34-25.
The two teams traded runs in the first half. After USF jumped out to a quick, 8-2 lead, the Aztecs then went on a 21-5 run to build a 23-13 lead with 9:47 left in the first half. USF cut the lead to two at 23-21 only to see San Diego State score the next 12 points to take a 33-23 lead with 5:25 left.
USF scored the last five points of the first half, including a three-pointer by Doolin as time expired, to whittle the lead to 38-33 at the break.
San Diego State enjoyed a 10-point lead at 45-35 with 14:55 left but three-pointers by Dickerson and
Mark Tollefsen keyed an 8-0 Dons run that cut the lead to 45-43 with 13:11 left.
The Aztec lead was still two at 47-45 with 12:22 left when San Diego State pulled away with a 21-7 run to open a 68-52 lead with 6:07 left. Tarpley keyed the run by scoring 11 of his 18 second half points during the stretch.
USF drew no closer than 12 points at 68-56 before the Aztecs went on a 12-2 run to close out the game and notch their 10th straight win after a season-opening loss.
"There's a reason they are the 18th-ranked team in the nation," said USF head coach
Rex Walters. "Our transition defense wasn't great and they were much more efficient offensively.
"We have to keep getting better. That's why we came over here, to measure ourselves against some top programs."
USF will have a short turnaround before it faces Ole Miss tomorrow morning beginning at 10:00 a.m. HT. The game will be televised live on ESPNU and can also be heard via USFDons.com.
