Game #29
San Francisco Dons (12-16, 6-10 WCC) vs. Saint Mary's Gaels (20-7, 12-4 WCC)
Thursday,  Feb. 26, 2015 • 8:00 p.m.
Memorial Gymnasium • San Francisco, Calif.
Series Record: USF 104-74
Last Meeting: Saint Mary's 69-56 (Dec. 29, 2015)
Audio/Video Streaming: TheW.tv (Pat Olson, Play-by-Play; Jim Brovelli, Analyst)
Television: CSNBA (Barry Tompkins, Play-by-Play; Dan Belluomini, Analyst)

Complete USF Game Notes (PDF) | Complete Saint Mary's Game Notes (PDF)

The Dandy Dons

• Now 12-16 overall and 6-10 in the WCC after posting road wins last week at Loyola Marymount (72-45) and Pepperdine (56-54)... have won three straight games, matching a season-high.
• Enter Thursday's game vs. Saint Mary's tied with Santa Clara for seventh place in the WCC standings...both teams trail sixth-place Portland and San Diego by one game in the conference standings.
• Are just 1-18 vs. Saint Mary's dating back to the 2005-06 season...USF's lone win in that stretch came last season here at Memorial Gymnasium, 73-62, which snapped a 17-game losing streak to the Gaels.
• Are now 25-14 in the month of February dating back to the 2009-10 season, including an 22-6 mark in the last three Februarys.
• Nine of USF's 12 wins this season have been by double digit margins and by and avergage of 22.3 points (80.1-57.8)...have six wins of 20-points or more after last Thursday night's 27-point victory at LMU.
• Of USF's 10 conference losses, six have been by eight points or fewer (31 total), including a pair of one point setbacks.
• Have shot 50 percent or better from the floor eight times this season, including four such efforts in the last nine games...now shooting 45.9 percent on the season - 4th best in the WCC.
• Have been outboarded in 11 of 16 conference games after holding the advantage on the glass in 10 of 12 non-conference games...were +9.7 on the boards vs. non-conference foes and are -2.5 vs. conference opponents...rank fifth in the WCC in rebound average (35.4) and are sixth in rebound margin (+2.1).
• Three players - Matt Glover (5.6), Mark Tollefsen (5.4) and Kruize Pinkins (5.3) - are averaging at least 5.0 rebounds per game while Tim Derksen is averaging 4.5.
• Were 13-for-41 (31.7) from long distance in two games last week...shooting 35.1 percent from three-point range this season, which ranks seventh in the WCC...however, shooting just 30.8 percent from beyond the arc in conference play.
• Shooting just 62.1 percent from the line, which ranks 10th in the WCC and is the 11th lowest percentage in the nation among Division I teams...slightly better in WCC play at 67.6 percent.
• Junior Tim Derksen is averaging 18.7 ppg (56 total) and shooting 54.8 percent from the field during current three-game winning streak...now averaging 12.3 ppg on the season to ranks as the Dons' third-leading scorer.
• Junior Mark Tollefsen ranks in the top-10 in three WCC statistical categories, including scoring (10th; 14.1), field goal percentage (5th; 53.4) and blocks (8th; 0.9).
• Wrap up the regular season Saturday night with a home game against Pacific (7:00 p.m.)...seniors Chris Adams, Matt Glover, Gavin Hoffmann and Kruize Pinkins will be honored prior to the game.

Notables

Opening Tip
USF (12-16, 6-10 WCC) plays host to the Saint Mary's Gaels (20-7, 12-4 WCC) Thursday night in Memorial Gymnasium in the second to last regular season game of the season. The Dons have won three straight which includes a road sweep of Loyola Marymount (72-45) and Pepperdine (56-54) last week. The Gaels split a pair of home games last week, defeating Portland (68-61) before falling to third-ranked Gonzaga (70-60).

Series History with Saint Mary's
USF leads the all-time series with Saint Mary's, 104-74. However, the Gaels have won 18 of the last 19 and 22 of the last 24 games against the Dons, including a 69-56 triumph on Dec. 29 in Moraga. The two teams split the season series last year, with the Gaels claiming a 88-73 victory in McKeon Pavilion and the Dons prevailing on the Hilltop, 73-62. USF's win snapped a 17-game losing streak to the Gaels. The two schools have also met five times in WCC Tournament play, with the Gaels holding a 4-1 advantage.

First Meeting With Saint Mary's
USF dropped a 69-56 decision at Saint Mary's on Dec. 29, marking the Dons 12th straight loss in Moraga. USF's two leading scorers Kruize Pinkins and Mark  Tollefsen were held to four and nine points respectively on a combined 5-of-18 shooting from the floor. Brad Waldow led all scorers with 21 points. USF trailed by five points at the half at 29-24 but were outscored 13-4 to start the second half as the Gaels built a 42-28 lead with 13:57 remaining. The Dons could get no closer than nine points down the stretch. Saint Mary's shot 60 percent in the second half and took advantage of 14 USF turnovers which led to 21 points.
 
Last Time Out
USF completed its Southern California road sweep with a 56-54 win over the Pepperdine Waves in Firestone Fieldhouse. Tim Derksen scored a team-high 19 points for the Dons while Matt Christiansen and Matt Glover also finished in double figures with 10 points apiece. Stacy Davis was the only Pepperdine player to score in double figures, finishing with a game-high 23 points, 17 which came in the second half. The Dons led by as many as 15 points in the first half but watched nervously as Jeremy Major's would-be game-winning shot from just inside the half court line bounced off the back rim. The Dons led by as many as 15 points at 29-14 before taking a 31-19 lead into intermission. The Waves quickly turned the momentum to start the second half, outscoring the Dons 13-3 to cut the lead to 34-32 with 11:50 remaining. With USF holding a 53-52 lead, Derksen's driving layup through traffic just beat the shot clock and gave the Dons a 55-52 lead with 12.2 second left. After Davis cut the lead to one at 55-54 with four seconds remaining, Glover was fouled after receiving a full length inbounds pass by Tollefsen. Glover managed to make just one of two free throws, giving the Waves life. The Dons held their collective breaths when Majors' heave just inside the half court line bounced off the back rim, sealing USF's third straight win.

Fan Guide

Ticket Information
Individual game tickets for all USF home games this season are available on line at USFDons.com or by calling (415) 422-2USF. General admission tickets are available for as low as $10.
 
Parking Information
Parking is available free of charge two hours prior to tip-off until one hour after the conclusion of the game in any campus lot, with the exception of designated green parking spots and the top of Hayes-Healy garage on Golden Gate Avenue adjacent to the gymnasium.
 
The Hilltop Club Level
USF Athletics is pleased to announce the opening of The Hilltop, a new club level where fans 21 and older can enjoy beverages and catered food options before and during designated games during the 2014-15 season. Located in the upper mezzanine level on the south side of Memorial Gymnasium, The Hilltop will open one hour before tipoff and will remain accessible throughout the game. Beer, wine, soft drinks and catered food options will be available to all fans 21 years of age and older. Admission to the The Hilltop is priced at $25 per game. Season passes for all games with the exception of designated premium games may also be purchased for $250. Food and drink options are extra. The cost does not include a game ticket.