Colleges

Bulls go cold as streak is snuffed

USF needs four minutes to even score as its seven-game run ends versus the Deacons.

By KEVIN BRAFFORD, Special to the Times
Published December 20, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [AP photo] USF's Kentrell Gransberry, who struggled and scored only 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting, is harassed by Wake Forest's Jamie Skeen, left, and Jeff Teague.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - That the temperature was near freezing outside shouldn't have impacted USF on Wednesday night, since, well, basketball is played indoors.

But there was little explanation for the Bulls' listless start in a 74-61 loss to Wake Forest, a setback that ended a seven-game winning streak, USF's longest in 25 years.

The Bulls (7-4) didn't score for the first four minutes and trailed the Demon Deacons 9-0 before Kentrell Gransberry made a free throw.

At that point, USF had three turnovers and was 0-for-9 from the field and the free-throw line combined. It was so bad that coach Stan Heath burned an early timeout and went deep into his bench, to no avail.

"It just wasn't there for us tonight, for whatever reason," Heath said. "We weren't very good, but give Wake credit. They came out ready."

It got worse for USF before it got better. The Bulls' largest deficit of the first half was 15 points, and a minirun that closed the gap to five was offset by two Harvey Hale 3-pointers in the final minute that left USF down 37-27 at the break.

The Bulls had as many turnovers (nine) as field goals in the half, and were it not for 10 offensive rebounds to partially offset 36 percent shooting, their deficit would have been greater.

"We had open shots, and we had layups," Heath said, "and we missed them."

The second half was better. The Bulls closed to within 40-35 on Chris Howard's 3-pointer and had a good look on another 3 from Solomon Bozeman on their next trip.

But his shot went halfway down before rimming out, and the Demon Deacons (7-3) followed with a 14-2 run over the next five minutes to lead 54-37.

Wake Forest's largest advantage was 61-40, then the Bulls answered with a 19-5 spurt to pull to 66-59 with 1:21 left.

That was as close as the Bulls would get.

Heath was particularly troubled by the play of Gransberry, who played only 26 minutes.

"He wasn't there," said Heath of his senior center, who had 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting. "I kept trying to figure out if that's the guy I've been coaching for the last month and a half."

Gransberry offered no excuses.

"I just didn't have my touch," he said. "They did a good job of doubling me, but I still had some shots that I've got to make."

That was true of all the Bulls, who finished 20-of-58 (34.5 percent) for the game. Help could be coming from redshirt freshman guard Aaron Holmes.

"I think he can make some shots for us," Heath said of the former St. Petersburg Catholic phenom, who transferred to USF from Florida State and played six minutes in his first eligible game (two points, one rebound).

Wake 74

USF 61

[Last modified December 20, 2007, 00:17:52]