SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – A pair of game-changing runs in both halves by the University of San Francisco was the difference as TSU men's basketball fell 90-77 in its 2022-23 season opener Monday night.
Down 56-39 early in the second half, TSU used a 17-3 run to get to within three at 59-56 thanks to PJ Henry putting the Tigers on his back and carrying them into battle by scoring all 15 of the Tigers' 17 points during that run that ended with 13:13 remaining in the second half.
Henry, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound senior guard from Houston, made seven free throws along with a two-pointer and a pair from beyond the arc.
San Francisco would respond back with a massive blow of its own stretching what was a three-point lead into a 19-point advantage with a 16-0 run that only covered 3:50 of clock time.
The first half was a see-saw affair with neither side taking full control until the Dons last trailed at 16-15 before turning the tables and regaining the lead and going on a 35-13 run over the final 12:14 of the opening half.
Davon Barnes' jumper at the 12:36 point remaining in the first half would be the last time the Tigers would lead the rest of the night.
Henry led all scorers with 21 points on 6-for-17 shooting including 2-for-4 from long range and 7-of-8 from the charity stripe to go along with two rebounds and an assist. John Walker III tallied 17 points on the night as well as Barnes chipping in 14. TSU only managed four assists on the night with San Francisco adding 13 of their own.
One key that the Tiger faithful in attendance at USF's War Memorial as well as watching online is that TSU was able to force the Dons into 23 turnovers to which the Tigers scored 18 points off those turnovers.
UP NEXT
TSU will return to the Lone Star State for a game on Thursday at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. Tipoff from the United Supermarkets Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST.
