Portland Pilots Lose Close One To South Florida At Myrtle Beach Invitational

Portland head coach Shantay Legans directs his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Gonzaga, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

750 The Game Staff

The Portland Pilots men’s basketball team fell in a hard-fought battle with South Florida on Thursday afternoon 74-68 in the quarterfinals of the Myrtle Beach Invitational in South Carolina.

The Pilots were dealt some questionable calls late in the second half but were able to make it a one-point deficit at 69-68 with 1:22 remaining thanks to a Vincent Delano three-pointer.

Shantay Legans’ squad got a stop and took a timeout to try and set up a go-ahead bucket, but Delano was blocked and USF finished the game from the free-throw line.

The Pilots are 2-3 overall. They are back at it Friday at 8:30 a.m. against the Ohio Bobcats on ESPNU and ESPN+ as play continues from The HTC Center in Conway, South Carolina.