COMPLETE GAME NOTES
USF MARCHES TO THE 2011 POSTSEASON: USF will make its first postseason appearance since 2005 when it hosts Idaho in the opening round of the 2011 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) Wednesday, March 16 on the Hilltop. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM from War Memorial Gym in a game carried live by the official radio home of Dons Basketball, Green 960.
SINCE 1982: USF capped a strong league season with the program's first 10-win West Coast Conference campaign since 1982 (11-3). The Dons finished the league slate at 10-4 after outlasting Loyola Marymount 77-75 in the 2010-11 regular season finale last Saturday. The Dons have won 13 of their last 18 games.
A PEEK AT THE VANDALS: Idaho enters the CIT with an 18-13 overall record and posted a 9-7 WAC slate. The Vandals were bounced from the WAC Tournament in a 74-68 loss to San Jose State Thursday in the quarterfinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
WILLIAMS DECORATED: Sophomore guard Michael Williams earned two more postseason accolades to go along with his First Team All-West Coast Conference selection. Williams was named to the NABC All-District 9 Second Team and earned Zappos.com WCC All-Tournament Team selection.
FOUR DONS EARN ALL-WCC HONORS: Junior guard Rashad Green and sophomore guard Michael Williams were named to the All-West Coast Conference First Team, while sophomore center Perris Blackwell was named Honorable Mention. First year Don Cody Doolin was tabbed for the all-freshman team.
- First time USF has had two First Team picks since 2000 (Kenyon Jones, WCC Player of the Year & Darrell Tucker)
- USF extends its WCC record to 56 players earning All-WCC first or second team selection with a total of 96 honors
- Doolin is first Don freshman tabbed since 2008 (Myron Strong)
DONS MOVING ON UP: USF's 76-59 win against Pepperdine gave the Dons 17 wins on the year, the most since posting a 17-14 record in 2005 - the last time the Green and Gold advanced to the postseason (NIT). Other first-time-since notes...
- First time USF has won a WCC Tournament game since 2008 - 79-60 vs. LMU (1st)
- First time USF has advance to WCC Tournament semifinals since 2003 (lost to tournament host San Diego 72-63)
USF AT A GLANCE - 2010-11 Regular SEASON BULLETS
- USF is one of the youngest teams in Division I basketball this season with just seven years of returning Division I experience. The Dons' 2010-11 roster features nine newcomers, seven freshmen, one redshirt freshman and one transfer
- Dons underclassmen average 40.8 ppg accounting for .592 of the team's scoring
- USF underclassmen have started 89 times in 150 opportunities through 30 games
- USF leads the West Coast Conference in 3-point defense at .322 (212-659)
- USF rates third in the WCC in scoring (72.1 ppg), field goal percentage defense (.414) and fourth in field goal percentage (.434) during 2011 league games
- USF trailed at halftime of 10 of 14 WCC games and went 6-4 when trailing at intermission in league contests
- USF posted 19 double-doubles in 30 games. USF tallied just four in 2009-10.
- USF averaged 71.8 points and 37.5 rebounds per game in WCC contests
- USF has won 16 of its last 21 contests at War Memorial Gym including OT wins vs. No. 13/8 Gonzaga 81-77 (1/30/10), Colorado 83-81 (11/20/10) and Montana 50-48 (12/12/10)
USF DONS BASKETBALL ON GREEN 960 AM: All USF games in the 2011 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) will be broadcast live on the radio home of Dons Basketball, Green 960. Now in his 20th year calling the Dons, Pat Olson will team with USF Hall-of-Famer Jim Brovelli as USF makes its CIT run.
SCOUTING IDAHO: The Vandals will make their second postseason appearance since 2009 when it competes in the 2011 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. Idaho also made the CIT field in 2009 when it posted a 1-1 record, opening with a home win against Drake (69-67) before bowing to Pacific (69-59) in Stockton. The Vandals went 18-13 and finished fourth in the WAC at 9-7. San Jose State upset Idaho in the WAC Tournament Quarterfinals 74-68 at the Orleans Arena last Thursday.
