Post-Game Comments and Highlights

SAN FRANCISCO -- Loyola Marymount overcame a 17-point second half deficit and used an off-balance put back by Evan Payne at the buzzer to defeat USF, 70-69 in Memorial Gymnasium.

The loss drops USF's record to 9-12 overall and 3-6 in the West Coast Conference while LMU improves to 6-15 and 2-7 in league play.

Kruize Pinkins and Mark Tollefsen scored 19 points each to lead USF scorers while Tim Derksen added 15. Ayodeji Egbeyemi had 19 points to pace the Lions while Payne and David Humphies added 13.

LMU collected 15 offensive rebounds, including two on the last sequence, and outboarded USF, 38-37.

After shooting 36.8 percent in the first half, the Lions clipped the nets at a 53.6 percent in the second period.

Pinkins and Derksen scored 11 points in the first half as the Dons shot 55.2 percent from the floor and opened a 43-30 lead at intermission.

USF enjoyed its largest lead a minute and a half into the second half when Tollefsen's layup gave the Dons a 47-30 advantage. 

The Dons were seemingly in control of the game and still led by 14 at 56-42 with 11:31 left. However, the Lions cut the lead n half by scoring the next seven points and the Dons' lead was down to 56-49 with 9:43 left.

After a pair of free throws by Matt Glover boosted the Dons' lead back to nine at 58-49, David Humphries and Chase Flint nailed back to back three-pointers to cut the lead to 58-55 with 7:56 left.

USF's lead was 63-60 with 4:38 remaining when the Lions scored the next six points, five courtesy of Humphries, to take a 66-63 lead with 2:51 left.

The Dons regained the lead when Tollefsen drained a long three from the corner to give USF a 68-66 lead with 1:27 left.

On the Lions next possession, Humphries gave the ball back to USF after he dribbled off his knee. However, Mark Tollefsen's inbound pass was picked off by Flint who cashed in an an easy layup to tie the game at 68 with :51 left.

Following a timeout, Pinkins was fouled on the baseline by Godwin Okonji but made just one of two free throws, giving the Lions life on their last possession.

Okonji gathered a missed three-pointer from the top of the key and his put back attempt fell into the hands of Payne, whose catch-and-shoot at the buzzer gave the Lions the one point victory.

USF will return to action Thursday night when they face the BYU Cougars in Provo. The game will tip off at 8:00 p.m. PT and be televised on ESPN2.

Rex Walters' Post-Game Comments

"Their pressure really bothered us in the second half and I don't think we were as giving with the basketball as we needed to be."

"The biggest thing is they killed us on the offensive glass. I think they had nine in the first half and six in the second, including two on the last possession. In that situation, someone has to step up and get a rebound."

"Tip your hat to LMU - they played hard. We didn't play as well as we could have obviously."

"I thought we defended the last play pretty well but at the end of the day you have to get a rebound."

"We got away from what we do. My concepts are play hard, smart and together. We played hard at times but I don't think we played smart or very together."