By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, DEC. 13, 2015 – USF more than doubled its first-half scoring total after the break but wasn't able to complete the comeback in a 65-46 loss to NC State at the Sun Dome on Sunday afternoon.

USF (2-8) outscored NC State, 31-30, in the second half and got a team-high 13 points from Jahmal McMurray, all in the final period. Nehemias Morillo scored eight of his 10 points in the second half. Jaleel Cousins almost had a double-double with eight points and 12 rebounds after grabbing six boards after the break.

The Bulls finished the game going 11-for-19 from the field, making seven of their last 10 shots, which continued a trend for the team. In the past five games, USF has nearly doubled its shooting percentage and scoring output after the break.

“I thought our effort was solid,” head coach Orlando Antigua said.

Ruben Guerrero led all USF scorers with four points as the Bulls trailed, 35-15, at halftime. USF started 5-for-28 from the field (17.9 percent) and turned the ball over 10 times in the first half.

“I think we were reactionary in the first half to their physical (style) on the boards,” Antigua said. “But I thought our kids continued to battle and continued to compete on the defensive side.”

With USF increasing the pressure, NC State (6-3) went 25-for-68 from the field (36.8 percent) and finished 14 points under its season scoring average.

Anthony Barber led all scorers with 19 points and BeeJay Anya added 17 points after going 7-for-8 from the field for NC State. Malik-Abdul Abu registered 11 points and 14 rebounds to help the Wolfpack finish with a 32-18 scoring advantage in the paint. NC State grabbed 22 of its 51 total rebounds on the offensive end.

“I thought the offensive rebounding, along with our defense, was probably the most important thing of the game,” head coach Mark Gottfried said. “We did a nice job just really attacking the glass, staying with it and trying to find angles where we could get in there. I thought that kind of set the tone for us.”

The Bulls return to the Sun Dome to host Jacksonville on Wednesday at 7 p.m. USF wraps up a three-game homestand Saturday, Dec. 19 against UAB at 7 p.m. Reserve your seats at USFBullsTix.com.

“I think we still have a lot of work ahead of us,” Antigua said. “I thought this week we did a lot of good things in practice and obviously we have to continue that.”

The USF men's basketball team returns seven from last season's team including regular starters Ruben Guerrero, Chris Perry, Nehemias Morillo and Bo Zeigler. Orlando Antigua is in his second season as the head coach after spending the previous five season as an assistant to Naismith Hall of Fame coach John Calipari. USF's schedule is comprised of nine teams which had an RPI of 54 or better last season. The Bulls host 19 games, five of those teams made the NCAA Tournament last season.