The 21-8 Dons will wrap up the regular season with an afternoon matinee against Loyola Marymount.  Saturday's game against the Lions will be the WCC Game of the Week and will tip at 1:00 p.m.  It will be televised on Spectrum Sports and other outlets, including NBC Sports California.  Barry Tompkins and Dan Belluomini will handle play-by-play duties, Sammy O'Brien will be the in game reporter. Pat Olson and Jim Brovelli will have the call on the radio on 1550-AM The GAME, the official home of USF Dons Basketball.  Immediately following Saturday's game, the Dons will honor four incredible student-athletes in a post-game Senior Day ceremony.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: March 2, 2019 – 1 00 p.m. PST
Opponent: Loyola Marymount Lions (19-10, 7-8 WCC)
Site: War Memorial at the Sobrato Center
Television:  Spectrum SportsNet | NBC Sports California | ROOT Sports Northwest | AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain |TheW.tv (out-of-market)
Talent: Barry Tompkins (play-by-play); Dan Belluomini (analyst); Sammy O'Brien (reporter)
Radio:  1550-AM The GAME
Talent: Pat Olson (play-by-play) and Jim Brovelli (analyst)
Live Stats: USFDons.com
Game Notes: USF vs. LMU
 
USF AT A GLANCE

• At 21-8, USF is off to their best start through 29 games since 1981-82.  USF has started the season 21-8 or better 10 times, with the previous nine teams all advancing to the post season.
• After the win over Portland, USF won their 20th game in 26 tries, the fastest USF has won 20-games since the 1981 season when the Dons did it in their 24th game.
• The Dons are 13-2 at home this year, with losses at the hands of USD on Thursday in overtime and Gonzaga - a game they led with less than three minutes to play.  USF is averaging 80.0 ppg at home and holding opponents to 64.9 ppg.
• With one game left in the regular season, the Dons can capture third in the WCC standings with a win over LMU and a loss by BYU against San Diego in Provo.  Should BYU win or the Dons lose, USF will finish fourth in the WCC.
• Frankie Ferrari scored his 1,000 point in the second half against Santa Clara, he is 35th all-time with 1,010 career points. Over the last six games, he has scored 103 points, averaging 17.2 ppg while shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 52.5 percent from 3-point range.
• Seniors Nate Renfro and Matt McCarthy are set to stand one and two all-time at USF for career games played.  Renfro is first all-time with 129 games played, McCarthy is tied for second with 128 games played.
• Following the completion of Saturday's game between the Dons and Lions, USF will pay tribute to its four graduating seniors, Frankie Ferrari, Matt McCarthy, Michael Orlich and Nate Renfro.  

THE SERIES
Saturday will be the 149th time the two teams have played each other.  USF owns a 104-44 record against the Lions. Over the last 10 games the teams are split 5-5, last year the teams split the season series with the home team coming out the victor. Since 1950-51, the Dons are 49-17 (.742) at home against LMU and have won seven of their last 10 including two-straight.  The last time these teams squared off was on Feb. 17, 2018 with USF coming away with the 72-63 win over the Lions at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center. 
 
ABOUT THE LIONS
LMU is currently sitting in fifth place in the WCC standings but can fall as far as eighth.  The Lions are 19-10 overall and are 7-8 in the WCC.  On the road this season they are 6-6. Over their last 10 games they are 5-5 but have won two-straight.  Their last time out they defeated Santa Clara 72-70 at home.  As a team, LMU is averaging 67.4 points per game, but holding opponents to 62.6 points per contest.  The Lions are shooting 45.3 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from beyond the arc.  Their leading scorer is guard James Batemon who is averaging 16.9 ppg.  Second on the team is Mattias Markusson who is averaging 10 ppg.
 
LAST GAME AGAINST LOYOLA MAR
USF pulled even in WCC play with a 72-63 victory over LMU at home last season.  The Dons scored 43 points after the intermission after scoring just 29 to begin the contest.  Frankie Ferrari scored 17 to lead the Dons he also had six assists.  Chase Foster had 13 and Jimbo Lull had 10.  Nate Renfro had 10 rebounds, along with three blocks and a steal.  The Dons shot 47.1 percent from the field.  Batemon finished with 18 points, Markusson had 17.  Ferrari scored 11 of his 17 after the intermission and helped earn him his first ever West Coast Conference Player of the Week honors.

UP NEXT
Saturday's game will be the finale of the 2018-19 season. The Dons will await their next opponent on Saturday, March 9 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for the West Coast Conference Tournament.