South Florida 71, DePaul 60

South Florida 71, DePaul 60

Published Jan. 28, 2011 4:28 a.m. ET

Hugh Robertson scored 16 points as South Florida beat DePaul 71-60 on Thursday night, extending the Blue Demons' losing skid to 21 straight games against Big East opponents.

Jawanza Poland and Toarlyn Fitzpatrick added 11 points each for South Florida (8-14, 2-7). The Bulls' other Big East win this season came on Jan. 16, a 79-72 victory over Providence.

DePaul (6-14, 0-8) got 17 points from freshman Cleveland Melvin. Its current Big East losing streak includes 20 regular-season games and one at the conference tournament.

The Blue Demons have not won a Big East game since a 51-50 victory over Marquette on Jan. 20, 2010. DePaul is the lone Big East team without a conference win this season.

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After DePaul center Krys Faber scored four consecutive points, South Florida responded with a 10-0 run - including two slams by Poland and Augustus Gilchrist's 3-point play - to go up 63-48 with 4 minutes left.

Faber finished with 16 points.

DePaul got within 66-60 on a late run that included a long-range jumper by Moses Morgan and Melvin's basket during a 5-on-none break.

Hugh Robertson hit a 3 and Anthony Crater added two free throws in the final minute that made it 71-60.

South Florida took a 35-25 halftime lead, thanks in part to a 13-3 run in the final 5 minutes. Fitzpatrick hit a 3 and the Bulls made all six free-throw attempts during that stretch.

South Florida went 12 for 12 from the line in the opening half, while DePaul converted four of its five chances. The Bulls also outscored DePaul 16-0 off the bench in the first half and 26-9 for the game.

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