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Dons Shock No.13/8 Bulldogs 81-77
Jan. 30, 2010
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By Stacy Hicklin
USF Beat Writer
SAN FRANCISCO -- USF players and fans sprinted to the center of the court and mobbed one another in jubilation seconds after the University of San Francisco took down No. 13/8 Gonzaga in overtime.
The Dons shocked the Bulldogs 81-77 on Saturday night in War Memorial Gym in front of a nearly-sold out crowd. It was the first time USF beat a ranked team since Jan. 20, 2005 when its upset Gonzaga, who was No. 11 at the time.
"So many guys made key plays down the stretch...our guys just fought," said USF coach Rex Walters, who collected his 50th career victory and first against a ranked opponent. "Their enthusiasm was unbelievable tonight."
It was only the second time USF (8-14, 3-4) beat Gonzaga (17-4, 6-1) in 23 games.
After a nip and tuck first half, Gonzaga jumped out to a 10-point lead just three minutes into the second half. It took the Dons less than two minutes to erase that lead and make it a game again.
It was a one-point game with 30 seconds to go in regulation when the Bulldogs hit two free throws to take a three-point lead with 25.3 to go. Dior Lowhorn buried a 3-pointer with 9.8 seconds remaining to tie the game at 67-67.
Gonzaga's Steven Gray shot a contested 3-pointer with three seconds to go, but it bounced off the front of the rim no good to send the game into overtime.
"We tried to mix up defenses [at the end] and throw in more trapping and keep the ball out of [Matt] Bouldin's hands," Walters said.
The Bulldogs scored first in regulation, but Lowhorn nailed another 3-pointer to put the Dons ahead. A minute and half later, Lowhorn was at it again and hit another 3-pointer to give the Dons a 73-71 lead. USF never trailed again.
"We talked about not letting [Lowhorn] get going and he got going tonight," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said.
Lowhorn made just eight of his 47 attempts from behind the 3-point line going into the game, but finished with five 3-pointers against Gonzaga.
A 3-pointer from Angelo Caloiaro with 32 seconds to go in overtime gave the Dons a 66-62 lead, but the Bulldogs immediately responded with a lay-up. Green hit a jumper with 19.8 seconds to go to push the lead back out to 78-74 and it was all free throws from there that point forward.
USF went just 3-for-6 from the line in the final 20 seconds, but so did Gonzaga.
"Free throws and untimely turnovers ended up costing us this time," Few said.
The Bulldogs committed 16 turnovers and went 22-for-33 at the free throw line.
Five USF players scored in double figures led by Lowhorn's game-high 22 points and nine rebounds.
Rashad Green finished with 15 points, Angelo Caloiaro and Moustapha Diarra both totaled 11 points. Kwame Vaughn added 10 points and eight rebounds and Dontae Bryant dished out nine assists.
USF goes on the road next, traveling to San Diego on Thursday, Feb. 4 and to Saint Mary's on Saturday, Feb. 6.
NOTES: It was the 42nd 20-plus point game of Lowhorn's career... Lowhorn became the eighth player to surpass 1,600 career points in the Green and Gold, finishing with 1,608. Lowhorn ranks eighth on the all-time scoring list 29 points from passing Naismith Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell (1953-56), who finished with 1,636... USF out-scored Gonzaga's bench 26-11... the Dons connected on a season-high 11 3-pointers... the win snapped a 27 game WCC winning streak for Gonzaga (regular season only).
