Instant Analysis: USF 71 UCONN 78

Justin Brown scored a career high 22 points and three other USF players finished in double figures but it wasn’t enough as Connecticut outlasted the Bulls in a 78-71 win in Gampel Pavilion on Sunday afternoon.

David Collins had 18 points – 15 in the second half – Laquincy Rideau had 12 points and Michael Durr added 10 points for USF. Brown also grabbed a team high six rebounds.

Connecticut also had four players in double-digits led by Christian Vital’s game high 24 points. James Bouknight, who only played two minutes in the first half due to foul trouble, scored 19 points for the Huskies while Brendan Adams and Jalen Gaffeny each had 10 points.

RunningTheBulls.com covered the game and here is our Instant Analysis:

IT WAS OVER WHEN: Isaiah Whaley stole the ball from Collins in front of the Bulls’ bench, threw it to Brendan Adams who passed it to Bouknight for a layup. That gave the Huskies a 73-62 lead with 1:40 left to play.

HE STOLE THE SHOW: Vital made 53 percent of his field goals, including 4-of-9 on the perimeter. He didn’t miss a free throw, snagged six rebounds, dished three assists and swiped three steals on the day.

THE STAT DOESN’T LIE: Connecticut turned 16 USF turnovers into 21 points while the Bulls could only muster 11 points from the Huskies’ 14 turnovers.

THE BOTTOM LINE: USF has lost four straight games and – after a two-game road trip that included flight delays, refueling stops, arriving in Wichita at 3:15 a.m. on game day – the team will head home to regroup and focus on a midweek matchup against East Carolina in the Yuengling Center on Feb. 26.