For the second game in a row, the Dons (9-17, 1-10) had only eight in uniform following coach Rex Walters' suspension of four players, including No. 2 scorer Manny Quezada. But this was far from the blowout many expected from the conference's top team.

Gonzaga (19-5, 10-0) shot a season-high 60 percent from the field but committed 16 turnovers, overshadowing a night when the Bulldogs had five players in double figures, led by Austin Daye's 17 points.

"We did not play particularly inspired by any stretch," said Gonzaga coach Mark Few, whose team routed the Dons by 34 points Jan. 17. "It was just a general malaise.

"But I don't want to take anything away from them. They played their tails off. Rex did the right thing (with the suspensions). Now he's got his guys out there."

USF hit 9-of-17 three-point attempts against the best three-point defenders in Division I (37 percent going in), keeping what could have been a lopsided contest entertaining throughout.

The Dons got 23 points from WCC scoring leader Dior Lowhorn, who hit all three of his three-point attempts, and 15 points from forward Blake Wallace (4-for-4 on threes).

Nine of USF's three-pointers came in the second half.

"We just got good looks all night. If we had one or two guys more like this group (of eight), or maybe our (suspended) guys back ... we miss our guys, definitely," said Lowhorn, who had 24 points Thursday against the WCC's No. 2 team, Portland. "I feel like if they were to play like we were playing tonight, we'd win these games."

The Dons took advantage of Gonzaga's sloppy play from the start, forcing four turnovers in the first 3 minutes, 37 seconds. The Zags shot 65 percent in the first 20 minutes but maintained only a 41-37 halftime lead over the conference's last-place squad, largely because of 12 first-half turnovers.

The Dons whittled away at the Zags even more, staying disciplined in their half-court game while Gonzaga ran. Wallace's three-point shot from the top of the key with 10:14 left trimmed the Zags' lead to 57-56.

E-mail Nancy Gay at ngay@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page C - 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle