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SAN FRANCISCO – Kyle Smith's first game as USF's head coach was a memorable one, complete with everything you would expect from one of the youngest teams in school history. The result – an 82-80 victory over Illinois-Chicago to go along with a few more gray hairs on Smith's head.
 
USF built a 17-point lead midway through the second half and then had to hang on for dear life before escaping with the two-point victory.
 
Senior Ronnie Boyce scored a career-high 28 points for the Dons while Nate Renfro added 12 to pace USF's offense. Mladen Djordjevic chipped in with nine while Chase Foster pulled down a career-best 11 rebounds.
 
Four Flames scored in double figures, led by 15 points by sophomore Dikembe Dixon. Tai Odiase and Godwin Boahen each had 12 while Kyle Guice added 11.
  The Dons shot 47.5 percent from the field but were outrebounded, 44-33. USF also contributed 20 turnovers, five less than the Flames' 25.
 
Everything was going the Dons way for 32 minutes of the game. USF took a 48-37 lead into intermission and extended the lead to 17 at 62-45 following a three-pointer by Jordan Ratinho.
 
The Flames then rattled off eight straight points to trim the lead to nine at 62-53 with 10:37 remaining and eventually cut the lead to one at 67-66, capping a 21-5 run. The Dons quickly boosted the lead back to seven at 76-69 only to see UIC tie the game at 80-80 on a three-pointer by Dixon, setting up a wild finish.
 
The Flames came up with a key defensive play when Odiase swatted away a potential go-ahead layup by Boyce with :30 seconds remaining. UIC squandered a chance to take the lead when Boahen was harassed into a turnover by Ratinho. Freshman Remu Raitanen came away with the loose ball and was fouled by Boahen with 23.4 seconds remaining. Raitanen then made both ends of a 1-and-1 to give USF an 82-80 lead.
 
Dixon missed a shot just from near the top of the key just inside the arch and after two missed put backs, the ball found a wide open Boahen, who misfired on a wide open three-pointer. Renfro was fouled on the rebound, but missed both free throw attempts with 4.0 remaining, giving the Flames new life.
 
UIC inbounded the ball to the speedy Boahen, who got to the rim but was forced into an awkward shot by the presence of Renfro and the Dons hung on for the two-point victory.
 
"We played really well in spurts but had a few backslides down the stretch, which allowed UIC to get back into the game," said USF head coach Kyle Smith. "But we were able to hand in there in the end and get a win."
 
Five freshmen saw significant minutes in their collegiate debuts all received passing grades by Smith.
 
"We got a lot of contributions from our freshmen tonight. Ratinho finished with just five points, but he made a huge defensive play that led to the game-winning points on a pair of free throws by Remu (Raitanen)."
 
Boyce, USF's lone senior, made 11-of-19 shots from the field, including four three-pointers, to finish with a new career high of 28 points.
 
"He's as good as advertised," said Smith. "He's our peacock – he really enjoys that stage."
 
If there was a game ball awarded tonight, it might go to Foster, who had the unenviable task of guarding Dixon, last year's Horizon League Freshman of the Year and the Flames top offensive threat. Dixon ended with 15 points but struggled from the field, making just four of 10 shots.
 
"Chase was the real unsung hero of the game," said Smth. "He didn't give Dixon a lot of good looks tonight."
 
USF will return to action Wednesday night when the Dons travel to UC Santa Barbara for a date with the Gauchos.