College basketball

USF hangs on for C-USA win

By DAIMON EKLUND
Published February 3, 2005

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - A 17-point lead had almost evaporated, and a seventh consecutive loss for USF looked like a distinct possibility.

But unlike the previous six games, the Bulls knuckled down when the game got close, and defeated Southern Mississippi 72-61.

USF opened its big lead in the first half, but the Golden Eagles crept within two points with about nine minutes to go.

Then James Holmes, who did not practice Tuesday because of the flu, hit a 3-pointer. The Bulls (9-10, 2-6 Conference USA) used the basket to propel a 13-2 run.

"He hasn't been around us for the last couple days, he's been feeling under the weather," USF senior guard Brian Swift said. "The crowd was getting back into the game, and that 3 told us, "Oh yeah, we got this.' That took a lot out of them."

The Bulls broke their losing streak and a tie with Southern Miss for last place in C-USA.

First-year Southern Miss coach Larry Eustachy expressed frustration after the game.

"We're at rock-bottom here," Eustachy said. "We're trying to dig out of it, in the long term and the short term."

The Bulls started the game on a tear, while the Eagles (10-10, 1-7) struggled to score.

USF scored nearly at will early, with dead-eye 3-point shooting and a size advantage inside. The Bulls steadily built the lead until it was 30-13 with 5:32 to go in the first half.

"Getting off to that start was a big, big key," USF coach Robert McCullum said.

The Bulls hit six 3s over the first 15 minutes, and 6-foot-9 forward Terrance Leather scored eight in the same span as the Eagles had no player taller than 6-6 to guard him.

Leather had a game-high 22 points and nine rebounds in his return from a one-game suspension.

Southern Miss closed the margin to 33-22 at the half, and kept chipping away at the Bulls' lead in the second half. With about nine minutes left, Southern Miss cut the lead to 51-49 on a Mike Ford 3-pointer.

Leather said when the Eagles cut the lead to two points, he started getting a little nervous.

"Southern Miss is a good team, they fight hard," Leather said. "They found a way to fight back, but we found a way to win."

USF answered with Holmes' 3-pointer, and that started the decisive run.

"Every win in Conference USA is tough," Leather said. "It's a good win, we needed this win, we got it done."

[Last modified February 3, 2005, 01:08:13]