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USF Men End Losing Streak

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A Tribune staff, wire report

Published: December 21, 2008

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico - Dominique Jones scored 23 points to lead the South Florida men to a 73-64 win against Murray State on Saturday, snapping the Bulls' four-game losing streak.

Jones was 5-for-7 from beyond the arc for the Bulls (4-5), who won for the first time since beating Northeastern 55-37 in late November this year. The Bulls hit six of 17 3-pointers compared to a 2-for-13 mark for the Racers (5-4) in the opening game for both teams in the San Juan Shootout.

University of Georgia transfer Mike Mercer scored 12 points in his third game for South Florida.

Danero Thomas led the Racers with 16 points and Tyler Holloway added 11.

The Bulls, who led 35-28 at halftime, outrebounded the Racers 36-29 en route to victory.

South Florida will play Wright State today in the tournament, while Murray State will play Oral Roberts.

SOUTH FLORIDA (4-5) - Gilchrist 3-7 2-2 8, Ajayi 2-2 1-2 5, Howard 1-3 5-8 7, Jones 6-10 6-7 23, Verdejo 3-6 2-2 9, Espinosa 1-1 1-1 3, Mercer 6-12 0-0 12, Belardo 0-0 0-0 0, Daniels 0-0 0-0 0, Leemow 0-2 1-2 1, Rivas Sanchez 0-0 0-0 0, Williams 2-3 1-6 5. Totals 24-46 19-30 73.

MURRAY ST. (5-4) - D.Thomas 6-9 3-5 16, McClain 2-2 5-6 9, Aska 2-7 5-8 9, Miles 0-3 5-7 5, K.Thomas 0-5 1-2 1, Fraliex 0-3 0-0 0, Holloway 4-10 2-2 11, Poole 1-6 2-3 4, Easley 3-3 1-2 7, Fotso 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 19-49 24-35 64.

Halftime-South Florida 35-28. 3-Point Goals-South Florida 6-17 (Jones 5-7, Verdejo 1-3, Leemow 0-1, Howard 0-1, Gilchrist 0-1, Mercer 0-4), Murray St. 2-13 (D.Thomas 1-2, Holloway 1-3, Miles 0-1, Poole 0-1, Fraliex 0-3, K.Thomas 0-3). Fouled Out-Ajayi, McClain. Rebounds-South Florida 36 (Williams 7), Murray St. 29 (Aska 7). Assists-South Florida 11 (Howard, Jones, Mercer 3), Murray St. 8 (McClain, Miles, K.Thomas 2). Total Fouls-South Florida 23, Murray St. 21. A-186.
USF Women Win 6th Straight

TAMPA - The University of South Florida women's basketball team, playing its second game in three days, came out a bit sluggish after its record-setting 126-62 win Thursday against Grambling. However, USF was still good enough to defeat Northern Arizona, 82-43, in a nonconference game Saturday at the Sun Dome.

"I thought we played uninspired basketball today," USF coach Jose Fernandez said. "I can't put my finger on it, but we just seemed to be going through the motions. We had 18 turnovers, and of the 18, nine came from our post players. We just can't have that. We need to protect the basketball."

The Bulls (10-1) offset their 13 first-half turnovers by forcing Northern Arizona (3-9) into 18 miscues in the first stanza, which led to 18 of their 45 first-half points.

USF took a 45-19 lead into the break after shooting 42.1 percent (16-for-38) from the field and holding the Lumberjacks to 25 percent (8-for-32).

Northern Arizona's 19 points marked the third time this season a Bulls opponent was held to less than 20 points in a half.

The second half was not much better for the Lumberjacks as they were held scoreless for the first 5:09 before Simone Holmes hit a 3 to make the score 55-22.

USF extended its lead to 41 when Janae Stokes hit a jumper with 7:15 remaining. The Bulls would equal that margin one more time.

NORTHERN ARIZONA (3-9) - Holmes 3-8 2-2 10, Matthews 4-9 0-0 8, Cunningham 3-10 2-2 8, Spaich 3-4 1-1 7, Boer 2-6 0-0 4, Hoisington 1-6 0-0 2, Pratt 1-6 0-0 2, Amos 1-4 0-0 2, Bonham 0-1 0-0 0, Huntington 0-3 0-0 0, Galloway 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 18-59 5-5 43.

SOUTH FLORIDA (10-1) - Sepulveda 7-12 3-6 17, Stokes 5-10 0-0 13, Grace 4-8 2-3 10, Denson 2-6 3-5 7, Grant 3-14 1-4 7, Lawson 1-3 5-6 7, Givands 3-8 0-0 6, Wynne 3-5 0-0 6, Sanders 2-4 2-2 6, Speed 1-2 0-0 3, Dalembert 0-2 0-0 0, Moody 0-1 0-0 0, Ayers 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 31-77 16-26 82.

Halftime-USF 45-19. 3-Point Goals-NA 2-18 (Holmes 2-6, Matthews 0-3, Cunningham 0-2, Pratt 0-1, Amos 0-1, Bonham 0-1, Huntington 0-2, Galloway 0-2), USF 4-9 (Stokes 3-5, Speed 1-2, Sepulveda 0-2). Rebounds-NA 43 (Cunningham 5, Pratt 5), USF 51 (Grant 15). Assists-NA 8 (Cunningham 4), USF 14 (Wynne 6). Total Fouls-NA 19, USF 14. A-782.

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