University of San Francisco Athletics

The Dons have trailed at halftime in five of their last six games but have been relatively successful in rebounding from the rough start. USF is 3-2 in those games with the two losses coming against Gonzaga and Saint Mary's.
 
In the last three games, the team has come out of the locker room and worked on its motion offense at halftime. This is clearly not the norm for a basketball team but it has turned in some immediate dividends.
 
The Dons have averaged 45 points in the second half during this three-game stretch including a 57-point performance against Pepperdine and a 60 percent shooting mark at Saint Mary's.
 
While the offense running well in the second halves of games is good, San Francisco head coach Rex Walters has focused on his team playing a complete game.
 
"Forget about a good start. We want to have a good 40 minutes," Walters said. "It's great to have a great start but if you have a three-minute dry spell in this league defensively or offensively, you're probably going to lose the game."
 
The Dons' lapse came on the defensive side of the ball and while Saint Mary's hit 11 threes on Saturday, it was the 10 layups which Walters focused his attention on.
 
"I watched the tape, we gave up a lot of layups against Saint Mary's," he said. "You've got to protect the paint. You've got to eliminate layups, eliminate second shots. I'm more concerned about that."
 
San Francisco has the third best rebounding margin in WCC games behind only Gonzaga and BYU and is fourth in defensive rebounds per contest.
 
"It's about accountability. It's about coaching. It's about teaching and trying to show them what we want every single possession."
 
The Dons are 4-2 in WCC play after six games and it is the team's best start since the 2010-11 season when they began league play 5-1.
 
ON THE MARK (TOLLEFSEN)
The sophomore forward has come alive offensively the last few games and it has given the team a big boost.
 
Since being shutout for the first time all season against Loyola Marymount, Tollefsen has averaged 13.7 points per contest and kept the team afloat in the first half against Saint Mary's. He also hit key shots against Pacific, one of which came with 39 seconds in overtime when he hit a three as the shot clock expired to give the Dons a six-point lead.
 
In those three games, he is shooting 56 percent from the field, including 50 percent from three.
 
"At times early in the year, I think he was rushing it and maybe not getting touches and feeling like he wasn't involved and just burping one up," Walters said. "This is as opposed to now, trusting in his teammates, trusting in how we play that we are going to get him good shots and he's more than capable of knocking them down."
 
This has also occurred along with Tollefsen's switch to the small forward position and it is a spot Walters believes fits the lanky sophomore better.
 
"We think that's his natural position. I think it gives us more length and size across the board. He's getting more accustomed to it."
 
FREE THROW RHYTHM
USF had struggled from the line for much of the season but that has changed in recent games.
 
The team went into its game against Pepperdine shooting 63 percent from the stripe. In the three games since, the Dons have shot 75 percent from the free throw line, with them shooting an impressive 16-for-19 against the Waves.
 
Matt Glover has been one of the more improved as he has shot 70 percent from the line over the ast three games despite shooting 57 percent for the season. Kruize Pinkins has also been impressive, shooting 77 percent (7-for-9) in that same stretch.
 
"Jumbo spends a lot of time in the gym," Walters said. "With the NCAA rules, you only get 20 hours a week. You've got to be really be conscious on what you emphasize, what you spend your time on. Guys have been getting in the gym on their own. We've just got to continue to grind and get better at it."
 
AROUND THE WCC
The Dons have taken advantage of the parity in the WCC. The Dons had entered the game at Saint Mary's on Saturday tied for first place with Gonzaga, who had lost to Portland.
 
Saint Mary's was stunned by Santa Clara on a buzzer-beater by freshman guard Jared Brownridge. The Broncos followed it up by dropping its road contest at Pacific. It was the first WCC win for the Tigers.
 
BYU seems to gotten back on track after Tyler Haws averaged 33 points against LMU and Pepperdine this week. BYU has played the eighth toughest schedule in the country.
 
- Zack Farmer, Communications Assistant