PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland took the San Francisco Dons to overtime, but fell short by a 68-63 margin Saturday night before 3,243 fans in West Coast Conference basketball action at the Chiles Center. Senior guard Frankie Ferrari led San Francisco with 20 points, including a game-clinching three late in overtime to put the Pilots away.

Sophomore guard Marcus Shaver Jr. led Portland with 15 points and a season-high eight rebounds. Sophomores JoJo Walker and Tahirou Diabate finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The Dons improve to 20-6 overall and 8-4 in league play, while the Pilots fall to 7-20 and 0-12 in WCC games.

Neither team led by more than six points throughout and the game featured 12 ties and five lead changes.

San Francisco pushed to a 53-49 lead with 1:57 remaining in regulation, but Shaver Jr. cut the deficit in half with a pair of free throws and the Pilots were able to get a pair of defensive stops. Walker then drove and drew a foul and tied it with two more free throws with 26 seconds remaining.

Ferrari had a chance to win it, but his step-back three-pointer at the buzzer rimmed off and the teams went to overtime.

The Dons grabbed the lead with a three-pointer by Charles Minlend and then another Minlend triple made it 63-58 with 2:21 left. Shaver made a three-point play, but Jimbo Lull converted a putback on the next possession.

Two more Shaver free throws made it a two-point game with 45 seconds left. Ferrari dribbled the clock down and drilled a tough, step-back three at the end of the shot clock to make it 68-63 with 18 seconds left. The Pilots missed on the next possession and the game was over.

Diabate sparked Portland in the second half with multiple hustle plays and eight points late in regulation. It was his third game in double figures scoring this season.

Portland had a 39-35 rebounding edge for the game, but the Dons converted timely second chance baskets late in regulation and overtime.

USF shot 45 percent overall, while the Pilots finished at 38 percent from the field. The Dons made just 4-of-14 free throws compared to Portland's 13-of-16 at the charity stripe.

Portland continues WCC play on the road next week. The Pilots visit San Diego on Thursday for a 7 p.m. tip-off and then take on Pepperdine on Saturday at 5 p.m.