By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA - The Bulls bounced back in league play in a big way Saturday night at the Sun Dome.
USF's defense held off a late Georgetown charge in a 61-58 victory that snapped the Bulls' four-game losing streak in Big East play. Anthony Collins scored all of his 14 points in the second half and JaVontae Hawkins added 12 points in the first conference win of the season for the Bulls (10-7, 1-4).
"We needed that one. Our backs were against the wall and it was a gutsy performance by our team," head coach Stan Heath said.
USF committed just five turnovers the whole way through, but a defensive stand made the difference once the offense cooled off down the stretch. The Bulls grabbed a 59-55 lead with two free throws by Toarlyn Fitzpatrick with 3:40 to play and didn't get any more scoring until Collins made another pair of free throws with three seconds remaining.
Georgetown (12-4, 2-3) chipped away at USF's lead in the meantime and pulled within a point on a layup by D'Vaun Smith-Rivera with 2:23 to play. The Hoyas called a timeout with 12 seconds remaining and had one more good look at the hoop, but Otto Porter's mishandle near the paint sealed his team's fate. Martino Brock made a diving save during a scramble for the ball and Collins capped off his 6-for-6 performance from the free throw line.
"That was awesome. That was a smart play to throw it inbounds," said Collins of Brock's hustle.
Porter missed at a desperation 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded, marking an end to Georgetown's two-game winning streak.
"I thought that last stand really signified what it took to get the job done," Heath said. "I saw the guys really get down in that stance. I saw us talk and switch, and help each other."
USF started 0-for-10 from 3-point range and went 1-for-14 from long range in first half that saw Georgetown jump out to a 31-23 lead.
The Bulls heated up in a hurry after the break with Fitzpatrick, Victor Rudd and Jawanza Poland all making consecutive 3-pointers to cut Georgetown's lead to 34-32. Collins followed with another 3-pointer to give USF its first lead since early in the first half.
USF started the second half 5-for-6 from 3-point range after Fitzpatrick added another to help fuel a 15-5 Bulls run. The Bulls finished 7-for-13 from long range in the half and Georgetown head coach John Thompson III wasn't pleased with his team's intensity after the break.
"Our sense of urgency to get out on shooters wasn't where it needs to be," he said.
Poland made two of USF's eight 3-pointers and finished with 15 points, and Fitzpatrick finished with nine points and five rebounds as the Bulls improved to 8-4 at home.
"I thought we saw a lot in our basketball team. They're willing to battle, to fight and to scrap," Heath said.
The Bulls look to build off the big win 7 p.m. Wednesday when they take on Seton Hall in South Orange, N.J., before hosting Notre Dame on Saturday, Jan. 26 at noon.
NOTES
- Kore White scored two points in seven minutes in his return from a toe injury that kept him out of USF's past six games.
- Georgetown is now 3-3 in games played against USF in Tampa.
