PRESS CONFERENCE
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, DEC. 28, 2014 – USF's stars shined but the Bulls couldn't hold onto the lead in the second half of a 79-70 loss to Bowling Green at the Sun Dome on Sunday afternoon.
USF (6-7) shot 50 percent for the game, 58.3 percent in the second half, and had a 40-36 lead with less than 18 minutes remaining before having to play catch-up after the break. Bowling Green (7-3) shot 56 percent from the field in the second half and knocked down five of its nine total 3-pointers after the break.
"We didn't defend well enough. We shot the ball obviously pretty well, but you can't let a team shoot the way they did in the second half and expect to win," head coach Orlando Antigua said. "From three, from the floor, the numbers are gaudy. We have to do a much better job defensively."
Sophomore Chris Perry (Bartow, Fla.) posted his third double-double of the season with 21 points and 11 rebounds in the Bulls' first loss to the Falcons in four meetings. Junior Anthony Collins (Houston) had another productive outing with a season-high 20 points and six assists. The last time USF had at least two players with 20 points in a game was Feb. 27, 2010 when Dominique Jones finished with 26 points, Augustus Gilchrist posted 21 points and Chris Howard added 20 points in a 99-93 home win over Providence.
Senior Corey Allen Jr. (St. Louis) registered his 10th double-digit scoring game of the season with 17 points, but aside from the big three, USF's other players combined for 12 points.
"You would want them to be able to celebrate that kind of offensive output, but we didn't deserve to win tonight," said Antigua of USF's top scorers. "Bowling Green did an excellent job in the second half of capitalizing on opportunities, controlling the tempo, and you've got to give them credit."
Collins and Perry were the lone players in double figures with 11 points apiece by halftime as USF headed into the break with a 34-31 lead. Collins tied his career high with two 3-pointers and Perry was on the way to his fifth career double-double with seven rebounds.
Sunday's first half was tight the whole way through with each team's largest lead at four points before the Bulls finished strong behind the hot play of Collins. The junior point guard broke up a 31-31 tie with a layup and added a free throw with 44 seconds remaining, which marked the seventh lead change.
Bowling Green responded after the break and took a 58-50 lead past the 9-minute mark before withstanding USF's final charge. Three baskets in the paint and a free throw by Collins powered a 7-0 Bulls run before the Falcons answered with a field goal when USF cut the deficit to 1 twice with less than 8 minutes to play.
USF was 14-for-17 from the field in the second half before missing its final seven shots of the game. Bowling Green finished with four players in double figures, led by Richaun Holmes' 19 points and nine rebounds.
"I think we had a couple of possessions where we were down to the last couple of seconds and miscommunication, fatigue, offensive rebounding are things we have to get better at and we have to control," Antigua said.
USF now turns the page to American Athletic Conference play that begins 5 p.m. Wednesday at SMU in Dallas. The Bulls return to the Sun Dome to host East Carolina on Saturday, Jan. 3 at 7 p.m. and fans can purchase tickets HERE.
"We still have a lot of work (to do). We have a chance to start a new season with conference play at 0-0, but we're focusing in on us and how we can improve. How do we give ourselves the best chance to compete every night, so that we can win?" Antigua said.
