SAN FRANCISCO (ABC4 Sports) – Despite a season-high 28 points from Rudi Williams, BYU lost for the fourth time in six games, falling to San Francisco, 82-74.

Williams became the third player in program history to score 25 or more off the bench three times in the same season joining Kari Liimo and Matt Carlin. Williams made a season-high 10 shots while going 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Gideon George, Fouseyni Traore and Jaxson Robinson all reached double figures for the Cougars. 

But BYU had no answer for USF guard, Tyrell Roberts, who scored 30 points to lead the Dons.

Roberts was 6-of-12 shooting, including 4 for 8 from distance, and went 14 for 16 from the free-throw line for the Dons (14-9, 3-5 West Coast Conference). Khalil Shabazz added 21 points and five rebounds, while Zane Meeks scored 13.

“I thought our energy and effort is not what we expect as a team,” said BYU head coach Mark Pope. “I thought we were supremely outcoached. I felt like our fight was lacking. Our defense really failed us. We are still starting out the game poorly and turning the ball over. We had no presence on the offensive glass. It’s hard to find something that we did good tonight. Players, coaches, everybody.”

Gideon George added 12 points and three steals, while Jaxson Robinson scored 11 for the Cougars (14-9, 4-4 WCC)

San Francisco took the lead with 18:44 remaining in the first half and did not give it up.

While BYU shot 51 percent from the field to USF’s 46 percent, it was a 41 percent performance from beyond the arc that favored the Dons. Despite just four second-half turnovers, USF’s 12 made 3-pointers, combined with 24 makes on 27 free throw attempts were too much for BYU to overcome. The Cougars totaled 15 turnovers on the night. USF made the most of those with 25 points the other way.

“Defensively, we weren’t there,” Robinson said. “We weren’t present. They hit a lot of threes, got to the free throw line. We didn’t execute.”

The Cougars trailed 37-28 at the half after 20 minutes in which they turned the ball over 11 times and saw San Francisco score 18 resultant points. BYU started the second half looking to right the ship with scores from Fousseyni Traore and Jaxson Robinson on consecutive possessions.

Gideon George then knocked down a corner 3-pointer, trimming USF’s lead to six at 42-36. The Dons were unphased and answered with a 15-6 run to effectively put the game out of reach with just under 14 minutes to play.

Williams led BYU with 21 second-half points as the Cougars grappled to get back in the game late. In the waning minutes of the matchup, BYU’s press defense produced USF turnovers and the Cougars rallied to within six at 80-74 before the Dons nailed the game shut with two free throws.

BYU committed 15 turnovers, after a 19-turnover performance Thursday at Santa Clara.

“It’s super disappointing,” Pope said. “We haven’t been able to find answers to that and I am disappointed with our lack of progress on that.”

After a Thursday off, BYU hosts Saint Mary’s at the Marriott Center on Jan. 28 at 8 p.m. MST.