Box Score
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- USF usually feels pretty good about its chances when it gets 22 points from both
Cole Dickerson and
Cody Doolin and make 11 three-pointers on its home floor.
However, BYU countered with 22 points each from Tyler Haws and Matt Carlino and forced 14 USF turnovers to come away with a 80-76 victory on Saturday at Memorial Gymnasium.
The loss drops USF's record to 7-8 overall and 0-2 in the West Coast Conference while the Cougars improve to 12-4 overall and 2-0 in the WCC.
The Dons have lost their first two conference games by a combined nine points after Wednesday night's 74-69 setback at Santa Clara.
USF nearly erased a six-point Cougar lead with 1:51 left, but the Dons came up short when potential game-winning shots by Doolin and Avry Holmes missed their mark, helping the Cougars hang onto a 80-76 victory.
The Dons shot 61.5 percent from the field in the first half and built as much as a 14-point lead before taking a 46-37 lead into intermission.
USF's lead was seven at 69-62 at the 15:19 mark when the Cougars went on a 15-2 spurt to take a six point lead at 77-71 with 6:19 left.
A free throw and two driving layups by Doolin brought the Dons to within one point at 77-76 with :25 remaining.
The Dons had a two chances two win the game but came up short when Doolin's reverse layup and a three-pointer by Holmes failed to fall, as the Cougars then finished USF at the foul ine to come away with a hard-fought, 80-76 victory.
"I thought it was going in," said Doolin, who also added 10 assists. "It was a good look and I have to finish that, but sometimes the ball doesn't go your way.
"They are a good team, a veteran team. I thought we fought real hard. If we keep fighting like tonight and improving, we're going to be a tough team to beat come tournament time."
Chris Adams, making his first career start in place of De'End Parker, scored nine points, as did freshman Tim Derksen.
Mark Tollefsen added seven.
BYU held a 38-34 advantage on the glass, pulling five more offensive boards than the Dons, and forced USF into 14 turnovers while committing nine.
"The combination of the offensive rebounds and our turnovers gave them a lot of extra possessions," said USF head coach
Rex Walters. "That's tough to overcome against a good team like BYU."
USF will return to action Thursday night when it plays host to San Diego at Memorial Gymnasium beginning at 7:00 p.m.
