THE RUNDOWN
SAN FRANCISCO - Led by Anna Seilund, who is now five points away from the 1,000-point club, the University of San Francisco women's basketball team (8-8, 3-2) defeated the Loyola Marymount Lions (11-5, 3-2), 78-60, on Thursday in War Memorial at the Sobrato Center. The Dons sent the Lions, who were ranked second in the West Coast Conference entering the game, home with a loss under their belts.  

The first quarter started with a quick 4-0 lead by the Lions, but the Dons answered shot for shot, evening the score. The two teams traded buckets for most of the way through the frame until USF was able to put together a 9-0 run, giving them a 13-10 advantage headed into the second.

Coach Goodenbour's squad turned their three-point lead into a double-digit advantage with a 7-0 scoring spree to open the second frame. With 3:30 remaining before half, the Dons led by 17, but LMU managed to come within nine after going on a 10-3 run. Strong shooting from the Dons (53.8 percent) in the quarter helped them hold the Lions off and enter the locker room ahead 33-24.

LMU shot poorly in the third quarter, going 4-for-15 from the field (26.7 percent), giving the Dons no problems in holding onto the lead. Headed into the fourth, the home team would have a comfortable 12-point edge.

The Dons sealed the deal in the final frame, outscoring the visitors 27-21 on some impressive shooting numbers including 62.5 percent shooting from the field, 50.0 percent shooting from three-point range, and 93.8 percent (15-16) shooting from the frow-throw line.

ICYMI:

Q3 :25 | USF 51 - @LMUwbb 39

"Anna Seilund for THREEEEEE!" - Yep..yep...we've heard that before. pic.twitter.com/1IcIvmBGkj

— USF Women's Basketball (@USFDonsWBB) January 12, 2018

Post-game interview with Michaela Rakova after her third consecutive double-double, eighth of the year. 


GAME NOTES

• Anna Seilund led the Dons with (23) points. She went 7-for-19 in field goals and 8-for-8 in free throws. This marks the second time in the season that she has shot 100.0 percent from the line when shooting eight or more free throws. She is now five points shy of joining the 1,000-point club.
• Seilund also contributed a career-high 12 rebounds, three assists and four steals. Tonight marks the first game in the year that the senior guard has pulled down double-digit boards.
• With her 23 points and 12 boards, Seilund saw her first double-double of the year.
• Seilund is also approaching 165 three-point field goals made in her career, which ties third best of all time. She sits at 161 after tonight's lone three pointer. 
• Michaela Rakova contributed 14 points, shooting 40.0 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from three-point range and going a perfect 4-4 from the line.
• Rakova pulled in 11 boards, earning her eighth double-double of the 2017-18 campaign. She entered the game second in the WCC with seven double-doubles. It is also her third consecutive performance with 10-plus points and 10-plus rebounds.
• Shannon Powell (17) and Kalyn Simon (13) also added 10-plus points in the contest.
• Moa Lundqvist earned a career-high 13 rebounds.
• With the win, Coach Goodenbour is now unofficially the most winningest coach in USF women's basketball history through 50 games. Tonight marked her 47th game at the helm and with an improved mark of 26-21, even if she lost the next three, she would still have a higher winning percentage than the next best coaching records through 50 games. The title will be official when she coaches in her 50th contest, which will come against Pepperdine in Malibu, Calif. on Sat., Jan. 20. 

WHAT'S NEXT
The Dons will continue WCC play with a road game in Spokane, Wash. against Gonzaga on Saturday, Jan. 13. The Dons will remain on the road for the next two games after the matchup against the Bulldogs, facing Santa Clara on Thursday, Jan. 17, followed by Pepperdine the next day. Tip-off against the Bulldogs is set for 2 p.m.