SAN FRANCISCO — For the second consecutive game, the CSUB men's basketball team gave up a big run around halftime. For the second consecutive game, said run proved disastrous as the University of San Francisco erased a Roadrunner lead late in the first half then pulled away early in the second for an 82–73 win Wednesday night at War Memorial Gym.
Junior guard Donavan Bragg led CSUB (1–9 overall) with 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Donald Johnson added 11 points. Senior forward Trent Blakley ran his double–digit scoring streak to 14 games with 10 points, all in the first half.
Dior Lowhorn and Kwame Vaughn led USF (4–9) with 27 and 22 points respectively. They did most of their damage from the free–throw line, finishing the night 26–of–30 from the stripe.
Things started well for the 'Runners when they embarked on a 9–0 to open the game. The 'Runners held the lead for all but 27 seconds of the first half before they got into all sorts of foul trouble in a game marked by unusual fouls.
For its part, USF was assessed a technical foul for dunking during the pregame warm ups. Blakley was ejected early in the second half for a flagrant foul. Jose Lara and Donald Johnson also picked up technical fouls for CSUB.
Fouls proved decisive in USF's big run. The Roadrunners led 30-27 with four seconds remaining in the first half when a Lara foul was followed immediately by a technical on the senior center. Lowhorn sank all four free throws to turn what would have been CSUB's first halftime lead of the season into a 31–30 Don advantage at the horn.
USF extended its run to 16–3 by out–scoring the 'Runners 12–3 to open the second half. What was a half controlled by CSUB became a 43–33 USF lead in just 3:53.
The Dons extended their lead to as many as 20 points before the 'Runners battled back. They trimmed the lead to nine points at 73–64 on a Stephon Carter layup with just under four minutes to play, but could pull no closer.
The 'Runners will return to Bakersfield for Christmas before concluding their four–game roadtrip at Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 28. They return to Rabobank Arena to host Cal Poly on New Year's Eve at 5 p.m.
