Athletics

Dons Battle Until Final Buzzer

March Madness game ends in overtime

by Mary McInerney, USF News

The USF men's basketball team gave it their all in their first appearance at the NCAA tournament since 1998, but they fell 92–87 in overtime to Murray State.

“We were down eight points with 1:45 to go, and what made us good all year showed up in that time,” said Coach Todd Golden. “Our guys stayed the course and got gritty and found a way to get to overtime.”
Jamaree Bouyea, a redshirt senior, closed out his time at USF with a career-high 36 points at the game in Indianapolis. Bouyea played the entire game and also had three rebounds, three assists, one block, and one steal.
“I think knowing this could be my last game, I wanted to leave it all out there” Bouyea said. “No regrets.”
Bouyea did not have a Division I offer to play basketball after high school until USF brought him on the team. Now, there is talk of NBA interest in Bouyea.
“Jamaree basically put us on his back and brought us here,” said teammate Zane Meeks, a sophomore. “He’s one of the best guys I’ve ever been around.”
After playing on the national stage, Golden said the team and coaches would take some time to regroup.
“I told our guys they should be incredibly proud,” he said. “It was a heck of a run.”