SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The University of Portland Pilots did everything they needed to do in order to hand San Francisco its first home loss of the season Saturday night at War Memorial Gymnasium. The Pilots (13-8, 2-4 WCC) held a potent USF offense to 41 percent shooting, committed just 11 turnovers, matched the bigger Dons in rebounds and had a three-point lead with less than 30 seconds left in regulation. But USF senior Tyrone Riley drilled a three-pointer with 20 ticks remaining to send the game to overtime and the Dons (12-6, 3-2 WCC) improved to 10-0 at home with a 74-70 victory.
Jerome Gumbs led all scorers with a career-high 27 points, besting his previous high of 22 points which came against the Pilots last season. Gumbs added 11 rebounds and was joined in double figures by Riley (17 points) and John Cox (10 points), who entered the game as the West Coast Conference’s leading scorer at 21.6 points per game.
Portland was paced by junior guard Pooh Jeter’s 20 points and seven rebounds. Darren Cooper added 12, while Donald Wilson and Marcus Lewis chipped in 10 each. Wilson also tied a career-high with nine rebounds.
Portland overcame a seven-point deficit with 8:32 left in regulation by holding the Dons without a field goal for over eight minutes. Jeter and Andreas Gahlmann each made a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 56-53. Jeter then hit a desperation, fade-away three-pointer from the right corner at the end of the shot clock to tie the game with four minutes remaining. Gumbs made two freebies before Cooper swished a three-pointer to give UP the lead. Jeter netted a critical baseline jumper with 46 seconds left to push the lead to three, before Riley tied it with a free-throw line extended three-pointer. Portland turned the ball over in the closing seconds, but USF was unable to get a shot off and the game went to overtime.
Riley scored nine points in the extra session as Portland sent the Dons to the foul line 14 times. USF made nine attempts and held on for the win.
“This was a tough, evenly played game,” said Pilot head coach Michael Holton. “These were two teams that competed, executed and both played reasonably well. The difference was that they made plays when they had to, got to some loose balls and took advantage of extra opportunities in overtime. I was please with everything other than the outcome.”
The Pilots were coming off of a 34-point, losing effort at San Diego, had lost four straight road games by double figures and had been outrebounded by over 10 per game in conference play entering the game. USF, meanwhile, defeated the 11th-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs on Thursday, outrebounding the Zags by 10 and had not lost a home game all season. Portland matched USF on the boards with 42, and was able to maintain a first-half lead, earning a chance at a tough road win at the end.
“Our main goal was to stay in the game early and have a chance to win at the end,” Holton noted. “Losing hurts, whether it is by 35 points or by four, but the difference was they made plays and knocked down shots when they needed to most.”
Portland used an 11-0 run midway through the first half to gain a 16-12 lead early. Cooper started and finished the spurt with a pair of three-pointers, while Karl Aaker hit another three and Dreshawn Vance converted two free-throws. Gumbs stopped the bleeding with a runner in the lane at 9:47.
The Pilots would use an 11-4 run later in the half to break a 20-20 tie and gain a seven-point edge, but Gumbs scored USF’s final seven points, including a trey before the buzzer to make it a four-point game at 31-27 going into the break.
“We care a lot about being a good team,” Holton said. “These losses are bumps in the road, but we’re focused on the bigger picture. Losing doesn’t make you losers, quitting makes you losers…and there is no quit in this team. We are confident and looking forward to our next opportunity.”
Portland concludes its three-game road swing next weekend at 11th-ranked Gonzaga. The Northwest rivals will take the court on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 8 p.m. The game will be televised live on ESPN2.
