Jan. 4, 2005

Final Stats

Jerome Gumbs scored 19 points, Tyrone Riley 11 and John Cox 10 to pace USF to a 65-61 win over Penn (4-5) in their final nonconference game Tuesday at Memorial Gymnasium. USF improved their home record to 7-0 on the season, while Penn has failed to win in five road contests.

The Dons (9-4) will enter conference play Friday when they visit Loyola Marymount (8-5) in Los Angeles. USF has won seven of their last eight games.

USF played without starting point guard Andre Hazel and forward Johnny Dukes, who sat out with injuries. They are expected to play Friday. Ibrahim Jaaber scored 12 points to lead Pennsylvania (4-5), which has lost three straight games. Tim Begley added 11 and Eric Osmundson and Steve Danley had 10 apiece.

USF led the game 35-30 at the half with Gumbs scoring 10 in the period. The Dons ran off a 10- run to lead the game by 15 at 50-35 with 13:10 left and held a 55-40 lead with 9:02 left.

Penn then went on a 13-1 run to cut the score to 56-53 with 5:49 left and tied the score at 59, on consecutive steals and dunks by Eric Osmundson and Steve Danley, the last with 1:21 remaining.

USF leading scorer John Cox then hit two free-throws with 0:59 left to put USF ahead to stay and Jason Gaines followed with two more to stretch the lead to four with 26 seconds left. Steve Danley hit a jumper but Cox again was fouled and nailed two more shots to give USF the final margin of victory.