Five Double-Digit Scorers Lifts Dons Past Tigers

Saturday, February 10

San Francisco, Calif.

2:00 p.m.

University of San Francisco

11-13,7-4WCC

Pacific

13-10,5-5WCC

Pacific

San Francisco

Photo by: Christina Leung

2/10/2024 6:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Josh Bascos

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Off a balanced scoring effort from the starting unit, the University of San Francisco women's basketball team (11-13, 7-4) won its second consecutive game in a close 79-72 victory over Pacific (13-10, 5-5) on Saturday afternoon at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

San Francisco opened the contest by scoring on its first two possessions on buckets from Debora dos Santos and Jasmine Gayles, taking an early 4-0 lead in the first 30 seconds of the game.
After a jumper by Cecilia Holmberg put Pacific on the board, USF went on a 15-7 run over the next five-plus minutes to give the green and gold its first double-digit lead, 19-9 at the 3:45 mark of the first quarter.
With a minute left in the first, two free throws from Elizabeth Eliott cut the Dons' lead to 24-21, but a Cami Fulcher three-pointer and buzzer-beating three from Gayles gave the Dons a 30-21 advantage after the first period.
Through the first four minutes of the second quarter, the Dons continued to roll with an 8-1 start to the period (a 14-1 run overall), with baskets from dos Santos, Gayles, and Luana Leite to extend the lead to 38-22 at 6:02.
Freja Werth hit a shot from deep to push San Francisco's advantage to a game-high 20-point lead, 50-30 at 2:20, but a quick 6-0 run from Pacific to end the half kept the Tigers within reach as the Dons headed into the locker room with a 50-36 lead.
Returning from the break, the Tigers immediately began a comeback with a 10-0 run to begin the third quarter, scoring on each of its first five possessions of the period to cut the Dons' lead to 50-46 at 7:27.
Fulcher gave the green and gold a much-needed basket with a three-pointer at 6:54 to push the lead to 53-46, but Pacific strung together an 11-4 run to knot the contest at 57, with 4:23 left in the quarter.
Quickly regaining their cushion, the Dons scored the final seven points of the third quarter, entering the final frame leading 64-57.
With both teams scoreless through the first two minutes of the fourth, Holmberg scored the period's first bucket at the 8:05 mark, followed by a layup by Elliott, which cut San Francisco's lead to three, 64-61 with seven minutes remaining.
A timely three-pointer by Werth at the 6:46 mark gave San Francisco its first points of the period, pushing the lead to six, 67-61.
Continuing to exchange baskets in the final minutes, free throws by Leite and Gayles in the last minute secured the victory for the green and gold, as the Dons captured a 79-72 win over Pacific.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

All five starters for San Francisco scored in double-figures, marking the first time that five Dons scored 10-plus points in a game since Dec. 22, 2020.
Leading the Dons in scoring for the second time this season, Fulcher totaled 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting to go along with five rebounds and two steals.
Both dos Santos and Leite each scored 14 points on a combined 10-of-21 from the field.
Nearly recording a double-double, Werth put up a 12-point, nine-rebound performance, shooting 4-of-8 from the three-point line.
Rounding out the starting lineup, Gayles put up 13 points in a game-high 36 minutes of action.
Off the bench, Seynabou Thiam tallied a game-best three blocks in seven minutes of play.
Aya Kéita posted a game-high plus/minus of +18 in 14 minutes off the bench.

POSTGAME WITH THE DONS:

To view the full highlights of tonight's game, please click here.
To watch the full postgame interview with head coach Molly Goodenbour, please click here.
To watch the full postgame interview with Cami Fulcher and Seynabou Thiam, please click here.

UP NEXT:
San Francisco will close out its homestand on Thursday, Feb. 15 as it hosts Santa Clara for a 6 p.m. meeting at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.

FOLLOW US:
For updates and more information on the San Francisco women's basketball program, follow the Dons @USFDonsWBB on Twitter, @USFDonsWBB on Instagram and @USFDonsWBB on Facebook.

MERCHANDISE:
Want to dress like the Dons? Get your official San Francisco Dons gear from the University of San Francisco bookstore today! Click here to purchase.

SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our sponsor – Planet Orange - for their continued support of USF Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please contact Frank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, at fallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561.