Feb. 5, 2005

TAMPA, Fla. - Tulane buried a season-best 11 three-pointers but it was not enough as the Green Wave lost to USF, 86-66, in Conference USA men's basketball action on Saturday evening at the Sun Dome.

Tulane (8-12, 2-7 C-USA) connected on 11-of-18 (61.1 percent) three-point attempts in the game while also burying 89.5 percent (17-of-19) of its free throws. However, the Green Wave committed 19 turnovers, while USF (10-10, 3-6) had just five turnovers. The Bulls held a 30-4 advantage in points off turnovers.

"It was not necessarily the number of turnovers that hurt us," Tulane coach Shawn Finney said. "It was the fact that they led to easy baskets. We have to learn to just eat the ball sometimes and not throw it away. We threw it away and they got easy baskets from that."

Senior point guard Marcus Kinzer continues to be hampered by a sprained ankle. The injury, which had held him to 33 minutes in the past three games combined, limited him to 14 minutes on Saturday. He scored just three points with three assists and five turnovers.

"Not having Marcus at full-strength is really hurting us," Finney said. "Not only is he a scoring threat and someone who can bring the ball up the court, but he takes a lot of pressure of Taylor [Rochestie]. Without Marcus, Taylor is playing too many minutes and struggling to get on track."

Rochestie, a freshman, played 36 minutes on Saturday and scored nine points, but all of his points came on three pointers in the final seven minutes of the game. Tulane was led by junior center Quincy Davis, who scored 13 points, including a career-best three three-pointers.

Kinzer scored his only points of the game on a deep three-pointer at the 18:00 mark, but the Wave offense hit a crippling drought, turning the ball over the next five possessions as USF scored 10 unanswered points to take a 53-34 lead with 14:32 to go.

Davis scored inside to stop the run with 14:15 on the clock. Freshman Donnie Stith (nine points) scored on a layup and a pair of free throws to pull the Green Wave within 14 at 64-50 with 8:47 to go, but USF answered with four straight points from Marlyn Bryant.

The Wave would bury three straight three-pointers, two from Rochestie and one from Matt Wheaton, but the Bulls continued to keep pace as the Wave would only get within 14 on two more occasions. Tulane's last five field goals came from three-point range.

USF connected on 54.0 percent (34-of-63) of its field goals, the second-highest percentage shot against the Green Wave this season. The Bulls also held a 32-22 advantage on the glass and attempted 24 more shots than Tulane, which was 19-of-39 (48.7 percent).

Tulane returns to action on Wednesday evening at Fogelman Arena, hosting Southern Miss at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available by calling 504-861-WAVE.