Game Highlights

SAN FRANCISCO – After winning its previous three games by comfortable double digit margins, USF's 82-78 loss to Portland State should serve as a stern reminder for a young Don squad of the pitfalls that can undermine a team when it doesn't execute down the stretch.
 
Such was the case Friday night on the Hilltop, when USF failed to hold leads of 11 and 13 points en route to suffering its second loss of the season.
 
Poor free throw shooting doomed the Dons as they watched the Vikings (5-4) rally from a 52-39 deficit early in the second half to come away with a four-point victory at the Sobrato Center. The Dons were just 13-of-20 from the line on the night and missed seven out of their last eight free throw attempts in suffering their first home loss of the season.
 
Portland State meanwhile converted 22-of-26 of their charity tries and also held a 36-33 advantage on the boards to post its third win in the last four games.
 
Chase Foster made 6-of-10 shots from the floor and paced USF with 16 points. Ronnie Boyce added 14 and Matt McCarthy chipped in with 10. Four Vikings were in double figures, led by Calaen Robinson who finished with 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor.
 
 
The Dons shot 46.6 percent from the floor, ending a six-game run in which the team shot 50 percent of better from the floor.
 
Playing its first game in nine days due to final exams, USF jumped out to a 13-2 lead less than four minutes into the game. However, the Vikings scored the next 12 points to take a short-lived lead at 14-13 following a layup by De'Sean Parsons.
 
The two teams were tied at 18 midway through the first half when USF reeled off nine straight points, capped by a Foster three-pointer, to open a 27-18 lead with 8:53 left.
 
The Dons took a 47-37 lead into intermission.
 
USF increased its lead to 13 shortly after halftime, as Mladen Djordjevic nailed a three-pointer to make it 52-39. The Dons lead was still 13 at 54-41 with 16:45 left when the Vikings began chipping away.
 
Portland State scored 10 straight points, capped off by a three-pointer by Robinson, to cut the Dons lead to 54-51 with 14:01 remaining and his three gave the Vikings its first lead of the night at 67-66 with 8:42 left.
 
The two teams were not separated by more than three points the rest of the way.
 
USF held a 78-77 lead with 40 seconds remaining after Nate Renfro made one of two free throws but Renfro fouled Robinson on the Vikings next possession. Two free throws later, Portland State held a 79-78 lead.
 
Jordan Ratinho misfired on a three-pointer with 4.5 left but McCarthy was fouled on the rebound and went to the line with a chance to give the Dons a lead. However, he missed both free throws and after Trayline Farris made one of two free throws, Portland State held a 80-78 lead with 3.2 left.
 
Any hopes the Dons had for a miracle finish went up in smoke when USF turned the ball over inbounding the ball after Farris' made free throw.
 
"We just tightened up and put them at the line too much in the second half," said USF head coach Kyle Smith. "Their quickness and length gave us some problems and I thought we played a little tentative in the second half. We just didn't make winning plays when we needed to. We'll learn from it and get ready for Abilene Christian on Monday."
 
The Dons and Wildcats will tip-off at 7:00 p.m. Monday night. Fans donating a non-perishable food item or a unwrapped toy will be admitted free.