The Bulls' run at a stellar comeback ran out of steam Thursday night.

The USF women's basketball team cut a 14-point second half deficit to only three with 3:27 left, but it failed to catch up all the way up in a 73-63 loss to Dayton at the Saint Peter's Holiday Classic in Jersey City, N.J.

USF leading scorer Jasmine Wynne was just as advertised, scoring a season-high 26 points. Tiffany Conner was in double figures with 12 despite the Bulls shooting 33 percent from the field.

“We just have to make plays and we have to finish in the paint,” head coach Jose Fernandez said. “We had a bunch of wide open looks and the ball has to go in the basket.”

Justine Raterman also had 26 points for Dayton, which only shot 30 percent itself but used its height advantage to outrebound USF, 51-43.

“Guys have to step up, make plays and put the ball in the basket,” Fernandez said.

Dayton (7-4) led, 54-41, with 11:14 to play until the Bulls went on a 16-4 run with seven coming from Wynne, who is averaging 15.5 points per game.

Andrea Hoover went to the line and made two free throws to give the Flyers a 64-59 advantage with 2:57 remaining and USF (7-6) never cut the lead to less than four the rest of the way.

USF concludes its time at the Holiday Classic 5 p.m. Friday when it faces the loser of Thursday night's Saint Peter's-Binghamton game.

NOTES

-          Tiffany Conner posted her third double-digit scoring game of the season.

-          Jasmine Wynne had three steals and is averaging 3.3 this season.

-          The Bulls went 12-for-15 from the free throw line, including a 7-for-8 performance by Wynne.

-          USF forced 20 turnovers against a Dayton team that was averaging 13 per game. The Bulls are forcing 23 per contest the season.