Game 17: USF (10-7, 1-5 WCC) at Loyola Marymount (7-9, 3-2 WCC)
Thursday, Jan. 14 | 7 p.m. | Gersten Pavilion (4,156)
Watch/stats/social: WCC Gamecenter | USF Audio Broadcast
Complete game notes (PDF)

#OneTeam

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The Dons look to get back on track as the squad travels to the Southland to take on Loyola Marymount on Thursday, followed by a Saturday matinee with Pepperdine.

By the Numbers (NCAA rank in parentheses)

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• When the Dons have the ball •
USF Scoring Offense - 71.3 (77) | LMU Scoring Defense - 68.4 (261)
USF Field Goal Pct. - .442 (43) | LMU FG Pct. Defense  -.384 (151)
USF 3FG Pct. - .336 (83) | LMU 3FG Pct. Defense - .337 (285)
USF Free Throw Pct. - .726 (60)

• When the Lions have the ball •
LMU Scoring Offense - 68.0 (116) | USF Scoring Defense - 66.1 (227)
LMU Field Goal Pct. - .372 (254) | USF FG Pct. Defense - .396 (200)
LMU 3FG Pct. - .299 (207) | USF 3FG Pct. Defense - .364 (330)
LMU Free Throw Pct - .709 (93)

Comparison (USF/LMU):
Scoring Margin: +5.2/-0.4
Rebounds/Game: 38.9/41.1
Assists/Game: 16.8/14.3
Turnovers/Game: 17.5 /16.7
Assist/Turnover Ratio: 1.0/0.9
Steals/Game: 8.4/8.6
Blocks/Game: 3.2/4.1

Between the Baselines

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The USF offense has been explosive and operating with teamwork and synergy at the forefront.The Dons rank second in the league and 43rd in NCAA Division I in shooting percentage, hitting 44.2 percent of their attempts from the floor. Coupled with a league-leading 16.8 assists per game, good for 29th in the nation, the collaborative nature of the offense has been a focus point. 

The Dons are led by senior Taylor Proctor's 20.0 points on .512 shooting, 9.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. Zhane Dikes adds 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals, and Rachel Howard contributes 12.0 points on .404 shooting from beyond the arc and 3.4 assists. 

Proctor is high on the national leaderboards in multiple categories, including field goals made (128/6th), total points (340/10th) and double-doubles (7/28th) among others.

Know the Foe

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Loyola Marymount enters the weekend with a 7-9 overall record, and a 3-2 mark in WCC action. In its last outing, junior Leslie Lopez-Wood swished a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to complete a second-half comeback to defeat Pacific, 63-60.

The team is led by two double-digit scorers, paced by Sophie Taylor's 12.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Freshman Cheyanne Wallace adds 12.4 points and a league-leading 2.2 blocks per game. Lopez-Wood, the Lions' all-time leader in 3-pointers, averages 9.4 points per game.

Series Snippits

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The Dons hold the slim 36-33 advantage in the all-time series, and USF is riding a five-game streak over the Lions, sweeping each of the last two seasons. 

Last Time Out

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USF couldn't withstand the fourth quarter barrage from the visiting Cougars, as the Dons fell to BYU 66-57.

USF was paced by senior Taylor Proctor's 14 points and 12 rebounds, her seventh double-double of the season. Kalyn Simon added a career-high 13 points, her first double figure scoring effort. In the first half, the junior from San Jose, Calif., led all scorers with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting.

Playing the Percentages

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Shooting a very effective 44.2 percent from the floor, the Dons have five women over the .500-mark in true shooting percentage, which takes into account field goals, 3-pointers and free throws. Taylor Proctor (.599 ts%) and Claudia Price (.599 ts%) lead the way, followed by Raushan Gultekin (.563 ts%), Zhane Dikes (.554 ts%) and Rachel Howard (.543 ts%).

NCAA Active Career Leaders

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Taylor Proctor currently ranks 35th among active Division I scoring leaders (1,519 points). She also ranks in the top-40 among active players in rebounds (804/24th), field goals (567/30th) and double-doubles (23/35th). Fellow senior Zhane Dikes rates 16th in NCAA Division I in career free throw attempts (524) and 20th in makes (381).

On the Offensive

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Under the tutelage of one of the best point guards to play the game, the Dons have improved their offensive output and team mentality of sharing the ball and assisting the shooter. 

In the year previous to Azzi's arrival on the Hilltop, the Dons shot .338 from the field, .308 from 3-point range and averaged 9.8 assists per game. Currently, the Dons are connecting on 44.2 percent of their attempts, and hitting threes at a rate of 33.6 percent. USF is leading the WCC in assists per game with 16.8.

USF Record-Setters

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The senior duo of Taylor Proctor and Zhane Dikes both grace USF's 1,000-point scoring list of 21 women as well as the 20-member 500-rebound club. Dikes notched her 500th rebound in USF's final non-conference game of the season against San Francisco State.

Currently, Proctor is fifth in all-time scoring and fourth in rebounds, and two boards away from owning the No. 3 spot. She is one of five women to rate in the top-10 in both categories. In the Dons' game at Pacific, she joined career-leader and Legend of the Hilltop Mary Hile-Nepfel as the second woman to reach the top five in both points and rebounds.

Individually, Rachel Howard etched her name in the record books after swishing seven 3-pointers at Long Beach State. The seven triple mark in a game ties Andrea Kagie (at San Diego, 02/08/97) and Amy Touli (Northwestern State, 12/19/92).

On the Air

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Listen to longtime voice of the Dons, George Devine, behind the mic all season long. Devine is in his 20th season as the play-by-play voice of USF women's basketball.

Watch all home games on theW.tv/live, in partnership with Silver Chalice/Campus Insiders. Get in on the action for both home and away contests at usfdons.com/LIVE. Catch all the action, any time, anywhere at theW.tv!

Jumping Ahead - Save the Date

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After the swing through L.A., the Dons return home against Portland (Jan. 28) and Gonzaga (Jan. 30). 

Both games feature promotions fans don't want to miss. The Dons will host Girl Scout Day as the Pilots enter War Memorial at the Sobrato Center. The team - and the department - will honor Girls and Women in Sports with a post-game clinic for youth, with participation from multiple teams on the Hilltop after the contest against Gonzaga, and fans can sign up at usfdons.com/GWISD. 

USF will also commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 1996 NCAA Sweet 16 team during the game against the Bulldogs, hosting a post-game reception and men's basketball watch party in The Hilltop club level at the conclusion of the game.

Get Connected

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Fans can follow the Dons in a variety of ways:
- Via the departmental Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat with the username donsathletics.
- Through the USF women's basketball team-specific Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
- On YouTube at USFDonsAthletics, where fans can view video segments online
- On Comcast SportsNet California in USF Athletics' monthly show, "Behind the Mask"
- With previews, recaps, videos, features and more as seen on USFDons.com