Box Score
SAN FRANCISCO - USF turned in its best defensive performance of the season and also shot 57.5 percent from the field in cruising to a 77-48 victory over Nicholls State in Memorial Gymnasium.
The win improves the Dons record to 6-4 overall while the Colonels fall to 2-5.
Cole Dickerson scored a game-high 20 points while
Tim Derksen added 15 to pace USF's scorers.
Mark Tollefsen and
Avry Holmes also reached double-figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Dantrell Thomas and Jeremy Smith paced the Colonels with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
USF's first nine opponents shot 48.7 percent from the floor but the Colonels managed to shoot just 32.1 percent for the game and were 3-for-22 from three-point range.
Playing its first game in two weeks, USF came out a little sluggish and led by just one point at 12-11 with 11:02 left in the first half.
The Dons then went on a 18-6 run to build a 30-17 lead at intermission.
USF shot 76.5 percent from the floor in the second half and held the Colonels scoreless for six and a half minutes and built a 60-28 lead with 7:37 remaining.
USF's biggest lead came with 3:06 left in the game at 71-37.Â
Dickerson's 20 points came on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor, including 2-of-4 from three-point range, and 4-of-6 from the line. He is averaging 21.7 points a game over his last four contests.
Derksen is averaging 13.5 points and is shooting 74 percent from the field in his last four outings.
USF will be back in action on Wednesday night when it takes on St. John's in Queens, New York beginning at 5:00 p.m. PT.
Rex Walters' Post-Game Comments
"It was a good win for us after a two-week layoff. I thought we started the game a little groggy but once we got into a game rhythm we got going. It wasn't always pretty but we got the ball where it needed to go and we were pretty good defensively."
"We'll take it and move on and try to figure out a way to beat the Johnnies."
"You take two weeks off and you have to work through some things early in the game. It's kind of like a boxing match when you are trying to feel out your opponent."
"Our guys were prepared and knew what we wanted to take away. (Assistant Coach) Dave Rebibo did a great job with the scout. We did a good job in jumping the ball and protecting the paint and getting back to eliminate layups. It's something we'll continue to hammer home and get better at."
