Dons’ upset bid falls short as Zags finish on 17-2 run

USF gave Gonzaga everything it wanted Saturday night, but the Dons didn’t get what they ultimately wanted, a win.

Before a loud, packed house at Memorial Gym, Gonzaga took control in the final three minutes and put away USF 96-83.

The Dons (14-3, 2-1 WCC) didn’t take any solace in playing the fifth-ranked team in the country even for most of the night.

“We don’t really play to compete with teams. The goal is to win,” sophomore guard Charles Minlend said. “We think we can compete with anybody, so we didn’t really prove anything to ourselves.”

Said senior forward Nate Renfro: “We talked about it in the locker room after the game. There are no real moral victories in this. People are going to pat us on the back and tell us we did a great job with the No. 5 team in the country. …

“We were right there. It’s tough not to close that out.”

With 3:50 left, USF center Jimbo Lull knocked in two free throws to give the Dons an 81-79 advantage.

Gonzaga then scored the next eight points and ended

the game on a 17-2 run. Brandon Clarke connected from in the lane before Zach Norvell Jr. hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 84-81. The Zags were ahead to stay. On the ensuing possession, Lull missed a layup and Gonzaga took advantage with a Geno Crandall 3-pointer to go up by six.

A bucket by Minlend cut USF’s deficit to 87-83, but those were the Dons’ final points of the night.

“We knew it was going to be like that,” Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said, referring to how tight the game was until the final minute. “They’re a heck of a team.”

The Zags (16-2, 3-0) have beaten the Dons 15 straight times since USF’s last win in the series in 2012.

Gonzaga got a game-high 24

No. 5 Gonzaga 96, USF 83 points and nine rebounds from Clarke, a transfer from San Jose State. Fellow forward Rui Hachimura added 21 points.

The Dons had six players score in double figures, led by point guard Frankie Ferrari, who had 21.

Gonzaga led by 10 with about seven minutes to go in the first half, but USF answered to make it a 37-37 game at the break. Ferrari’s floater just before the halftime buzzer knotted things.

The tight game and loud fans made for a fun atmosphere in Memorial, something the Dons did appreciate.

“Our crowd was with us tonight, and we thank them,” Renfro said. “We appreciate them for that. Sorry we couldn’t get it done for you guys.”

Said head coach Kyle Smith: “We got a lot of attention this week. … Hopefully, (the fans) will stay with us win or lose, but usually you’ve got to just keep winning. … This should be one of the toughest places to play.”

Briefly: Gonzaga has won 25 consecutive conference road games since a 70-67 loss at St. Mary’s on Jan. 21, 2016. … Even more amazing: Since losing 69-66 at San Diego on Feb. 22, 2014, the Zags have gone 68-0 (including conference tournament games) against WCC teams not named St. Mary’s or BYU. … USF freshman forward Dzmitry Ryuny injured his left ankle while grabbing a rebound with 7½ minutes left. He did not return. … The Dons were without sophomore forward Taavi Jurkatamm, who is in concussion protocol.

Steve Kroner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: skroner@ sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SteveKronerSF

Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Nate Renfro reacts after a foul is called on USF, which was called for 21 fouls, four more than were called on the Zags.

Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle USF guard Charles Minlend falls to the floor as teammate Jimbo Lull (5) is fouled. Minlend scored 14 points; Lull had 10.

Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Kyle Smith coaches a USF team that has not beaten WCC power Gonzaga since 2012. Smith arrived at USF in 2016.