Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

College basketball

Feverish Kohn fires up Bulls

USF 71, TCU 67: Ailing guard scores 21 in rare game decided before buzzer.

By PETE YOUNG, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 5, 2003

[Times photos: Thomas M. Goethe] South Florida senior point guard Reggie Kohn, who scored a season-high 21 despite a 101-degree temperature, drives past Texas Christian's Junior Blount for a layup in the first half.

TAMPA -- Finally, South Florida had a breather. And it was thanks to the guy who was having the hardest time breathing.

A way-under-the-weather Reggie Kohn, playing with a 101-degree fever and nausea, scored a season-high 21 to lead USF to a 71-67 win over TCU on Tuesday night before 3,535 at the Sun Dome.

"He was as sick as a dog all day," USF coach Seth Greenberg said. "He just found a way to gut it out."

USF (11-8, 4-4 Conference USA) had played four consecutive games that weren't decided until the final shot in regulation until Tuesday, when the cardiac Bulls tucked it away with a full 8.8 seconds to go on a pair of free throws by Brian Swift.

"It was nice," said Kohn, a senior point guard. "We didn't have to worry about getting beat at the buzzer."

Kohn, who was so exhausted afterward he was barely able to address the media, was the primary reason for the "comfortable" win. Showing no ill effects during the game, he had 10 points during a 14-0 run early in the second half that put USF in front 46-34.

"At the beginning of the second half, Reggie Kohn just put us on his shoulders," Greenberg said.

TCU (7-13, 1-7), sparked by a season-high 13 3-pointers on 31 attempts, stayed within striking distance the rest of the way. The Horned Frogs made eight 3's in the second half against USF's zone defenses.

Shrewd defense from Kohn helped keep TCU at bay late. With USF ahead 67-62 with a minute to go, Kohn, realizing USF had committed just four team fouls, twice committed fouls just as TCU was preparing to take a shot, forcing the Horned Frogs to inbounds the ball and start over. Flustered, TCU then threw the ball away with 40 seconds to go.

"We had fouls to give before they went to the bonus," Kohn said. "They run some clock and then you foul them, and they have to set it back up and that takes away another 15, 20 seconds of the game. Coach said it, so we did it. It was a good plan on our part."

Bulls freshman Yusuf Baker energizes the bench with a dunk in the second half.

Two free throws by Swift with 30 seconds left made it 69-62, and after the teams traded turnovers, a 3-pointer by TCU's Bingo Merriex (16 points, 11 rebounds) made it 69-65 with 9.9 seconds to go, setting up Swift's clinching free throws. The sophomore point guard improved to 19-of-19 on free throws this season.

The Horned Frogs are one of the league's most vexed teams. TCU has beaten just Southern Miss in league play, but it has been in every game. Its biggest defeat in seven league losses was by 13 at scorching Louisville, the nation's fifth-ranked team.

Neither team led by more than four in the first half, and it was 31-30 TCU at halftime after eight lead changes and six ties. Will McDonald, USF's leading scorer and rebounder, picked up two early fouls, and freshman Yusuf Baker helped pick up the slack with seven rebounds and two blocks in the first half.

McDonald finished with nine points, the first time this season he has failed to reach double figures. Jimmy Baxter was the only Bull besides Kohn in double figures with 12 points. Kohn and Baxter each had three steals.

Kohn had been in a major shooting slump, going 2-for-23 from the field in losses to East Carolina and Houston before rebounding with a solid game in Saturday's 67-64 win against Charlotte.

With his rising fever during the day Tuesday, it was uncertain if Kohn would even dress, much less be the best Bull. He played all but four minutes, made 7 of 12 shots and 4 of 8 3-pointers and had a team-high five assists and one turnover.

"I think the last game I got a little bit of confidence back," said Kohn, whose career high of 30 points came against TCU last season. He hadn't scored more than 20 since. "When the shot was there I didn't hesitate tonight. Once you make a couple, you tend to see a bigger basket."

The Bulls wrap up the three-game homestand at 6 p.m. Saturday vs. Saint Louis.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright