Post-Game Highlights and Comments

SAN FRANCISCO – USF combined hot shooting and stifling defensive play in the second half to defeat Delaware State, 67-47 Sunday afternoon in War Memorial at The Sobrato Center.
 
After trailing 25-23 at intermission, USF shot 61.5 percent from the field in the second half and held the Hornets to just 12 points over the last 13 minutes of the game to improve to 4-2 on the season. Delaware State (0-7) remains winless on the season.
 
Sophomore guard Devin Watson led all scorers with 18 points while senior Tim Derksen added 14 to pace USF's scorers. Chase Foster and Nate Renfro chipped in with eight each while junior Don't'e Reynolds grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.

DeAndre Hayward scored 11 points to lead the Hornets, with all of his points coming in the first half.
 
USF ended the game shooting 47.3 percent from the floor while the Hornets managed to shoot 33.3 percent, including an icy 28.6 percent in the second half. The Dons held a 41-31 advantage on the boards and managed to score 30 of its 67 points inside the paint.
 
For the fourth consecutive game, USF got off to a slow start and trailed by six points with 6:08 left in the first half after Aric Dickerson drained a three-pointer to give the Hornets a 22-16 lead.
 
USF scored seven of the first nine points of the second half to open a 30-25 lead on a Derksen 3-pointer at the 17:52 mark. With the Dons holding a 38-35 lead with 13:00 left, USF scored 16 straight points run over the next five minutes to open a 54-35 advantage with 8:00 left. A pair of three-pointers by Foster and one by Watson and Renfro keyed the decisive run.
 
USF led by as many as 27 points at 66-39 with 3:11 left before winning by the final count of 67-47.
 
USF head coach Rex Walters knows each game is a learning experience for his young Dons' squad and was very pleased with the second half effort on both ends of the floor.
 
"We tried to simplify things and have our guys believe they are good players – and they are," said Walters. "We did a better job in getting to their shooters in the second half and really eliminated their catch and shoot looks. We were also more aggressive offensively in the second half and got some really good looks."
 
While the youthfulness of the team has provided for its fair share of ups and downs over the first six games of the year, the Dons play on the defensive end of the court has been a bright spot early on, including tonight, as USF held Delaware State to 47 points on 33.3 percent shooting, both season lows for an opponent this season.
 
"We did a really good job in protecting the paint tonight," said Walters. "They went small and we changed up our ball screen defense, which really helped us. Our mindset has been really good on the defensive end of the floor. If we can shore up some things offensively, we have a chance to be pretty good."
 
Foster, who nailed a pair of three-pointers in the Dons 16-0 second half run, said the Dons played much looser in the second half and credited the coaching staff for getting the team prepared defensively.
 
"We played a lot looser in the second half," said Foster. "We were thinking too much that they were giving us the perimeter in the first half but we came out loose confident in the second half. We played well defensively and we have to thank the scouting report – our coaches really do a great job in preparing us."
 
The sophomore says the Dons are taking each game as a learning experience as they continue to gel with the WCC schedule rapidly approaching.
 
"Each game we are learning the growing as a team. Even in our losses, we've grown tremendously and have taken those lessons learned to the next game to come closer to the team we are capable of being."
 
USF will return to action on Tuesday night, when the Dons play host to the Eastern Washington Eagles in War Memorial at The Sobrato Center beginning at 7:00 p.m. The Dons will be looking to avenge last year's 81-76 home loss to the Eagles, an NCAA Tournament team a year ago.