SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (AP)(November 28) -- Kenyon Jones scored 15 points and four others reached double figures as the San Francisco Dons defeated the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos 78-67 on Sunday afternoon in the Dons' home opener.

James Lee had 14 points, followed by John Cox with 12 and LyRyan Russell and Shammel Stallworth each with 10 for the Dons. Russell also had had eight assists as San Francisco won its third straight home opener.

Juliano Jordani scored 19 points for the Gauchos, who lost their third straight.

San Francisco (2-1) never trailed in the game. Santa Barbara (0-3) scored the first four points of the second half to draw within 27-25, but the Dons went on a 17-3 run to take a 44-28 lead with 14:45 remaining to play. James Lee's dunk finished the run.

San Francisco led by as many as 19 points in the game.

Santa Barbara's LaRon Bryant made a pair of free throws with 6:30 left to close the gap to 61-54, but the Dons then scored 10 unanswered points and the Gauchos, who lost their first eight games last year before coming back to win the Big West Conference, never got any closer.

Russell was 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the final 2:43 to help San Francisco maintain its margin of victory.

Jordani opened the season making just one of 11 shots before making 6-of-15, including 5-of-9 from three-point range, en route to his game-high production. Jordani also had 11 rebounds. Bryant added 14 points and Mark Hull had 10 for Santa Barbara.

The Gauchos, who shot just 28 percent from the field through their first two games, missed 10 of their first 12 shots, as San Francisco opened up a 27-21 halftime lead. Santa Barbara shot 26 percent (7-of-27) for the half.

Stallworth, who played a total of three minutes in the first two games combined, had 10 points in nine minutes in the first half for the Dons.

USF will host Lamar Tuesday night and the annual Northwestern Mutual Classic Friday and Saturday nights at Memorial Gym. ---