Dec. 15, 2001

Box Score

Jono Metzger-Jones' 3-point buzzer-beater gave the University of Pacific a 72-69 win over the University of San Francisco Saturday night, ruining senior LyRyan Russell's end of game heroics.

Metzger-Jones hit five 3-pointers for a team-high 15 points. The victory extended the Tigers' win streak to four.

Demetrius Jackson and Maurice McLemore both added 13 points for Pacific (7-2).

John Cox led the Dons (2-6) in scoring with a career-high 16 points. He also led the team in rebounds with 10. Tayo Akinsete added 12 points.

San Francisco's LyRyan Russell hit a 3-pointer to tie the game with 1:04 left in the game. McLemore answered with two to give the Tigers the lead with 24 seconds remaining.

Russell's lay-up with eight seconds knotted the score at 69-69. But Metzger-Jones' 25-footer at the buzzer sealed the win for Pacific.

Pacific took the lead early in the second half, 32-33, on Jackson's free throw. The Tigers widened the gap 58-48 on another Jackson free throw with eight minutes left in the game. Pacific shot 84.6 percent from the line.

After taking an early lead, the Dons never trailed in the first-half. Cox capped first-half scoring with two, putting the Dons up 31-26 at the end of the half.

USF again was plagued by opponent's three-point shooting (8-18)and foul trouble. Hondre Brewer fouled out after just 25 minutes of action.

"We are playing a lot better now," said Dons' head coach Phil Mathews. "We outrebounded Pacific by 37-27 and played good defense. Sometimes you get unlucky when an opponent's prayer gets answered."