TUPELO, Miss. - The University of San Francisco men's basketball team (6-4) got back on track on Sunday afternoon as the Dons hung on to take down Mississippi State (4-5), 65-62, at Cadence Bank Arena.

Mookie Cook finished with nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds while Tyrone Riley IV helped out with 16 points, six rebounds, and two blocks. Ryan Beasley also chipped in with 12 points and six rebounds.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

• San Francisco started the scoring by going on a 6-0 run, culminating in a three-pointer from Riley IV, to take an early lead with 19:09 left in the first half. The Dons did not give up the lead in the opening period, entered halftime with a 30-22 advantage, the third-lowest first half point total by a USF opponent this season. San Francisco did most of its first half damage in the paint, scoring 18 of its 30 points close to the basket.
• Coming out of the break, USF remained in control before going on a 5-0 run, finished off by Guillermo Diaz Graham's layup, to grow the lead to 53-46 with 7:06 to go in the contest. The Bulldogs narrowed the gap and even took the lead by one point with just under 25 seconds to go, but Mookie Cook sank two clutch free throws with 8 seconds left to put the Dons back on top. Riley IV then stole the ball from the Bulldogs off the ensuing inbound pass, putting the green and gold up three. San Francisco then got one final stop on the defensive end, holding on for the 65-62 victory.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

• USF held Mississippi State to only 38.8 percent (26-67) shooting from the field. On the offensive side, the Dons took care of business in the paint, recording 18 of their 35 points in the lane.
• San Francisco had a 43-40 edge on the boards in the win, including collecting 11 offensive boards. Cook finished with a career-high and game-high 11 rebounds on Sunday.
• USF was active in affecting shots on the defensive end, tallying six blocks as a team. Cook finished with a game-high three blocks, his fourth game this season with two or more blocks.
• The Dons turned the ball over only six times, marking a new season-low. USF also dished out 12 assists as a team, as Cook also set a new career and season-high with five assists against the Bulldogs.
• Sunday's win marked the second straight victory in as many attempts against an SEC opponent for USF, following the Dons' previous road win over Vanderbilt (73-60) in Nashville on Dec. 6, 2023.

• To view the full postgame interview with head coach Chris Gerlufsen and Tyrone Riley IV, please click here.

UP NEXT:
San Francisco will remain on the road for its next contest as the Dons will travel to Saint Louis for a battle with the Billikens next Saturday, Dec. 13. Tipoff from Chaifetz Arena is scheduled for 5:00 pm PT/7:00 pm CT, with the game airing live on ESPN+ and KNBR 1050. Streaming, radio, and live statistics links will be available via the team's schedule page.
 
FOLLOW US:
For updates and more information on the San Francisco men's basketball program, follow the Dons @USFDonsMBB on Twitter, @USFDonsMBB on Instagram, and @USFDonsMBB on Facebook.
 
MERCHANDISE:
Want to dress like the Dons? Get your official San Francisco Dons gear from the University of San Francisco bookstore today! Click here to purchase.
 
SPONSOR US:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our sponsor - Park-n-Fly - for their continued support of University of San Francisco Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please contact Frank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, at fallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561.

*This article was created using technology provided by Data Skrive*