USF Stops Pepperdine in Overtime

The San Francisco basketball team was blessed by Pope John Paul II during a tour of Italy last summer, but that hasn’t kept the Dons out of last place in the West Coast Conference.

On Thursday night, USF was blessed by being on the court with Pepperdine, and the result was far more encouraging.

The Dons, 9-16 overall and 3-8 in the WCC, ended a seven-game losing streak with a 94-92 overtime victory before 3,231 at Memorial Gymnasium, sending Pepperdine (7-16, 3-8) to its 12th loss in 13 road games.

Pepperdine, which has lost its last five games, seemed to have the game won when USF guard Gerald Walker missed the first of two free throws with the Dons trailing, 79-77, and six seconds to play in regulation.

But Walker, who led USF with 26 points, missed the second free throw on purpose, got the rebound and shoveled a pass to center Art Wallace, whose dunk with two seconds remaining sent the game into overtime.