Saturday's contest will pit the remaining unbeaten teams in the West Coast Conference against each other when No. 5 Gonzaga comes to the Hilltop. Saturday's game is the hottest ticket in the Bay Area with tickets on the secondary market being sold for more than tickets to Monday's College Football National Championship game at Levi's Stadium.   The game between the Dons and Bulldogs will be televised nationwide on ESPN2 with Dave Feldman and Chris Spatola calling the action. Fans can also tune into the official home of USF Dons basketball, 1550-AM The GAME, to hear Pat Olson and Jim Brovelli live from courtside.
 

GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Jan. 12, 2019 – 7:00 p.m. PST
Opponent: No. 5 Gonzaga (15-2, 2-0 WCC)
Site: War Memorial at the Sobrato Center
Television: ESPN2
Talent: Dave Feldman (play-by-play), Chris Spatola (analyst)
Radio:  1550-AM The GAME
Talent: Pat Olson (play-by-play) and Jim Brovelli (analyst)
Live Stats: USFDons.com
Game Notes: USF vs. Gonzaga
 
DONCAST - Episode 2 of the USF Podcast 

USF AT A GLANCE

• At 14-2, USF is off to their best start through 16 games since the 1981-82 season when the Dons also opened the year 14-2. This is the 10^th time USF has started the season 14-2 or better, with the previous nine teams all advancing to the post season.
• The Dons are a perfect 9-0 at home this season. USF is averaging 78.3 points per game and holding their opponents to 60.0 points per contest. USF is shooting 45.9 percent from the field. 
• The Dons opened WCC play 2-0 for the first time since the 2006-07 season when USF started conference play with wins over San Diego and LMU. This season, the Dons own wins over Saint Mary's at home and Pepperdine on the road.
• USF is 16th in the nation in scoring margin at +16.6 this season. The Dons are averaging 77.8 points per game and holding their opponents to 61.2 points per contest. The Dons are the 14th best scoring defensive team in the nation.
• In the latest NET rankings, the Dons moved up two spots to 37th. USF is second in the WCC according to the NET rankings and ranks higher than all 12 Pac-12 schools. 
• Since 1950-51 the Dons are 34-94 (.266%) all-time against teams in the top-25.  Against teams ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll the Dons are 2-10.  The last time USF beat No. 5 was on Jan. 10, 1978 when the Dons beat No. 5 Notre Dame 79-70.   
• The last time the Dons beat a top-5 team was on Dec. 29, 1981 when the No. 6 USF defeated No. 2 Wichita State 84-74 in Honolulu, HI.       
• USF improved to 12-2 when scoring at least 70 points this season following their 72-69 win over Pepperdine in Malibu.. Under Kyle Smith, the Dons are 45-12 when they score at least 70 points.

THE SERIES
Saturday marks the 81st matchup between the Dons and Bulldogs. All-time USF is 22-58 against Gonzaga in a series dates back to Jan. 28, 1961 when the Dons defeated Gonzaga 64-62, beginning the first of five-straight wins over GU. USF earned 13 of its 22 wins prior to the 1990's. At home, the Dons are 18-21. Gonzaga is currently riding a 14-game winning streak that dates back to the 2013 seasons. Last season, the Dons faced GU three times with two narrow defeats before falling to Gonzaga by 28, 88-60, on Mar. 5, 2018 in the semi finals of the WCC Championship at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
 
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
Gonzaga entered this week ranked in both the AP and USA Today Coaches Poll at No. 5 and No. 8 respectively. The Bulldogs were picked to win the WCC in the annual preseason coaches' poll and are currently 15-2 and 2-0 in the WCC. The Bulldogs are averaging 93.6 points per game and have four players averaging double figures. Rui Hachimura leads the team averaging 20.8 points per contest. Gonzaga looks to be at full strength with the return of Killian Tillie.
 
LAST GAME AGAINST GONZAGA
After back-to-back regular season contests in which the Dons held their own against the Bulldogs, the top seeded team in the WCC Tournament flexed their muscles in the semifinals at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, jumping out to a 48-27 halftime advantage.  The Bulldogs would hold on for a 22-point win, taking down the Dons 88-60.  Tillie led GU with a game-high 26 points. He was one of three players in double figures for the Bulldogs.  USF was led by Nate Renfo's 15, he was the only player in double figures.  USF shot 36.7 percent from the field and were held to 5-for-22 from 3-point range, Gonzaga went 12-for-26 with Tillie going a perfect 5-for-5 in the contest.  
 
UP NEXT
The Dons will be back on the road, but they won't have to travel far. USF heads east on 580 to take on Pacific at the Alex G. Spanos Center in Stockton.  It is the only matchup of the year between the Dons and Tigers. The game is slated for a 6:00 p.m. tip and will be televised on NBCS BA.