SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Three seniors led New Orleans men's basketball (4-6) in double-figures Monday night, cutting a 21-point deficit to just three before falling to San Francisco, 85-72.
Down by as much as 18 in the second half, Tyson Jackson banked in a three-pointer to beat the shot clock with just over 11 minutes remaining to ignite a 25-8 run that drew the Privateers within a possession with five minutes on the clock.
Marcus Williams led the Dons with 28 points to hold off the New Orleans rally.
The opening half saw New Orleans fall behind 11-0 early and trail by as many as 21-points with 1:44 remaining, but Jackson provided a much-needed spark by scoring two quick baskets as USF took a 44-27 lead to the locker room.
Jordan Johnson, who also scored a team-high 28, was the sole Privateer in double-figures in the first half with 11 points. The fifth ranked NCAA scorer was 8-of-15 from the field and nearly perfect from the charity strip at 10-of-11. With consecutive 20+ point games on the west coast, the Memphis, Tenn. native averaged 26 points over the two-game span.
Jackson was named New Orleans Player of the Game after notching a season-high 18 points and five rebounds. The preseason all-conference selection scored all but four of his points in the second half. Fellow senior Khaleb Wilson-Rouse joined the veterans by chipping in 12 points and five rebounds.
New Orleans shot 47% on 24-of-51 shooting and 90% from the foul line at 19-of-21.
This game marked the fourth meeting between the two programs with USF evening the all-time series.
NEXT UP: New Orleans will return home to prepare Thursday night when the Privateers will host Birmingham Southern at Lakefront Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
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For 54 seasons, Privateer student-athletes have had the unique experience of wearing New Orleans across their chests. Like the city itself, our sports teams have been fueled by resiliency, grit, and the unquenchable desire to win. Our city also houses the nation's biggest celebration each year. And much like a Mardi Gras parade krewe, we are tethered to our community through pride, tradition, a culture of acceptance, and finally our commitment to show that New Orleans is a world-class city to live, learn, play and work. We invite you to become more involved with the only University that truly represents New Orleans all day, every day. Join #NOLAsTeam, We Are Your Krewe! To make a direct impact on the student-athlete experience, visit here.
