Game #17
San Francisco Dons (7-9, 1-3 WCC) vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs (14-1, 3-0 WCC)
Thursday,  Jan. 8, 2015 • 6:00 p.m.
McCarthey Athletic Center • Spokane, Wash.
Series Record: Gonzaga 48-22
Last Meeting: Gonzaga 75-65 (Feb. 1, 2014)
Audio/Video Streaming: TheW.tv (Pat Olson, Play-by-Play; Jim Brovelli, Analyst)
Television: CSNBA; ROOT Sports; Rocky Mt. Network (Greg Heister, Play-by-Play; Richard Fox, Analyst)

Complete USF Game Notes (PDF)

The Dandy Dons

• Stand 7-9 overall and 1-3 in the West Coast Conference...have lost three straight after opening conference play with a win at Pacific...are 4-9 over the last 13 games after a 3-0 start.
• Three-game losing streak is the team's longest since dropping its first five conference games in the 2012-13 season.
• Were 10-6 at the 16-game mark last season...went to 11-6 overall and 4-1 in the WCC at the 17-game mark of the season before ultimately finishing 21-11 and 13-5 WCC (t-2nd).
• Coming off a 31-point home loss to BYU on Saturday...Cougars made 15 three-pointers in the game, including 12 in the first half.
• Have dropped 25 straight game to Gonzaga in Spokane dating back to the Dons' last victory on Feb. 10, 1989 (67-64)...have lost the last four games by double-digits (17.5 avg.)...last road sweep of the Pacific Northwest schools came in 1981-82.
• Are 11-4 in last 15 WCC road games dating back to the 2012-13 season.
• Have been outrebounded in three of its first four conference games after outboarding 10 of its first 12 opponents...were +9.7 on the boards vs. non-conference foes and are -3.0 vs. the first four conference opponents...rank third in the WCC in rebound average (37.8) and fifth in margin (+5.4).
• Three players - Matt Glover, (6.1), Kruize Pinkins (5.9) and Mark Tollefsen (5.3) - are averaging at least 5.0 rebounds per game while Tim Derksen is averagaing 4.9.
• Shooting 46.4 percent from the floor, third-best in the WCC...have shot 50 percent or better in four games this season, including a season-high 64.9 effort vs. Montana.
• Allowed BYU to shoot 60 percent from the floor, the highest single-game field goal percentage turned in by an opponent this season...WCC foes shooting 50.5 percent from the floor after four conference games.
• Rank fourth in the WCC and 43rd nationally in three-point percentage at 38.3 percent...junior Tim Derksen ranks third in the WCC in 3-point field goal percentage at .481 (25-for-48).
• Shooting just 57.7 (206-357) from the stripe on the season which ranks last among WCC teams and is the third lowest percentage in the nation among Division I teams.
• Employed its fifth starting lineup of the season Thursday vs. San Diego, with freshman Devin Watson getting the nod at point guard...used three starting lineups all of last season.
• Junior Mark Tollefsen has taken over the team lead in scoring with  15.1 ppg average, just ahead of Kruize Pinkins at 15.0...Tollefsen has scored in double-figures in 15 of 16 games this season and ranks as the conference's seventh leading scorer.

Notables

Opening Tip
USF's (7-9, 1-3 WCC) annual trip to the Pacific Northwest starts Thursday night in Spokane, Wash., where the Dons will meet the sixth-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs (14-1, 3-0 WCC) beginning at 6:00 p.m. USF is coming off a 99-68 home loss Saturday to BYU, the Dons third consecutive defeat, while the Zags downed Portland, 87-75 on their home floor.

Series History with Gonzaga
In a series that dates back to the 1961-62 season, Gonzaga leads the all-time series with USF, 48-22, including 43-17 in WCC play. The Zags have also won two of the three games played in WCC Tournament competition. Gonzaga won both meetings between the schools last season, claiming a 69-41 decision in Spokane on Dec. 30 and posting a 75-65 victory on the Hilltop on Feb. 1. The Zags have won four straight in the series dating back to USF's last win, 66-65 on Feb. 18, 2012 in San Francisco. USF has dropped 25 straight games to Gonzaga in Spokane dating back to its last victory on Feb. 10, 1989 (67-64).

Last Year's Games vs. Gonzaga
USF shot a season-low 25.5 percent from the floor and dropped a 69-41 decision to No. 24 Gonzaga in Spokane on Dec. 30. The Dons never led in the game and trailed by 18 points at the half and by as many as 30 points with 9:22 left in the game. Avry Holmes led all USF scorers with 16 points as the Dons dropped their 25th consecutive game to the Bulldogs in Spokane.

In the return game on Feb. 1 in San Francisco, USF saw its three-game winning streak come to an end, as the Dons dropped a 75-65 decision to the Zags. The Dons shot just 34.5 percent from the floor while the Zags took advantage of 34-of-41 shooting from the foul line. After USF scored the first five points of the game, the Zags went on a 13-0 run and never relinquished their lead. Avry Holmes scored a team-high 18 points for USF while Mark Tollefsen added 15.

Last Time Out
USF was victimed by 15 three-pointers by BYU and dropped a 99-68 decision to the Cougars on Saturday night in Memorial Gymnasium. BYU made 12 of its 15 three-pointers and shot 74.1 percent from the field in the first half to open a 57-29 lead at the break. The Couars led by as many as 35 points in the second half at 68-33 before winning by the final 31-point margin. Chase Fischer, who finished with 20 points, accounted for six of the Cougars 15 three-pointers. Tyler Haws (22), Jake Toolson (11) and Anson Winder (17) made three treys each. Kyle Collinsworth recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Kruize Pinkins scored 15 points to pace the Dons, while Devin Watson (13), Mark Tollefsen (12) and Tim Derksen (11) were also in double-figures.

The Record
USF has lost three straight games, the team's longest losing streak since dropping its first five conference games in 2012-13. At 7-9, USF is three games off its pace of last season when the Dons were 10-6 on the year at the 16-game mark. The Dons won game No. 17 to improve to 11-6 overall and 4-1 in the WCC. USF ultimately finished with a 21-11 overall mark and tied for second in the WCC with a 13-5 conference ledger.

The Wins
USF's seven wins this season have come by an average of 26.8 points (82.9 to 56.1). The Dons have posted four wins of 30 points or more against South Carolina State (91-52), Notre Dame de Namur (86-46), Houston Baptist (85-54) and Portland State (77-40) and also own decisive victories over Hawaii (88-73) and Montana (76-57).

Against the Best
USF is 2-7 in nine games vs. opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 dating back to the 2008-09 season. Both of the Dons Top 25 wins came over Gonzaga in 2010 (No. 11; 81-77 OT) and 2012 (No. 24; 66-65). The Dons lost both of their games last season against ranked opponents, falling to No. 17 Oregon (100-82) and No. 24 Gonzaga (69-41). At No. 6 in this week's AP poll, Gonzaga is the highest-rated team the Dons have faced since the Feb. 16, 2013 meeting between the two schools, when the Zags were ranked fifth nationally.

Dons Defensively
USF gave up a season-high 99 points Saturday vs. BYU, the highest point total by an opponent since  the Dons suffered a 100-82 loss at Oregon last season. USF now ranks seventh in the WCC in points allowed per game (66.2) and but are third in field goal defense (.416). After limiting 12 non-conference opponents to 38.9 percent shooting from the floor, the first four WCC foes have clipped the nets at 50.5 percent.

Board Work
After outrebounding 10 of its 12 opponents ny 8.3 boards a game, USF has been outrebounded in three of its first four conference games, 34.0 to 31.0. However, USF ranks third the WCC in rebound average at 37.8 per game and fifth in rebound margin (5.4). The Dons also rank second in the conference in offensive rebounds with a 12.3 per game mark. Three players - Matt Glover (6.1), Kruize Pinkins (5.9) and Mark Tollefsen (5.3) - are averaging at least 5.0 rebounds per game while Tim Derksen is averagaing 4.9. All four players have pulled down 10 or more rebounds in a game this season.

From the Field
USF is shooting 43 percent from the field over its first four conference games and rank third in the conference in season field goal percentage at 46.4. USF has shot 50 percent or better from the floor just four times this season, the last time against Houston Baptist on Dec. 7 (55.6). Mark Tollefsen ranks fifth in the WCC in field goal percentage at 55.7 while Kruize Pinkins ranks ninth (51.9).

From the Line
The Dons are shooting just 57.7 percent (206-357) from the line at the 16 game mark of the season, which ranks last in the WCC and is the third lowest mark in the naton among 345 Division I teams. USF's 357 free throw attempts are 25th highest total in the nation. The Dons are shooting 65.7 percent from the stripe over the first four conference games.

Beyond the Arc
USF ranks fourth in the WCC and 43rd nationlly in three-point field goal percentage at .383 (110-for-287). Junior Tim Derksen (48.1 25-for-52) ranks second in the WCC while Mark Tollefsen ranks seventh (43.6; 24-for-55).

Lineups
USF employed its fifth lineup of the season vs. San Diego, with freshman Devin Watson getting his first starting assignment at the point guard position. The Dons used three starting lineups all of last season. Watson has started each of the last two games at the point and is averaging 6.2 points this season, including a pair of 14-point games against Pacific and Houston Baptist.