SEATTLE, Wash. - Primed to start conference play, the University of San Francisco men's basketball team (8-5, 0-0 WCC) heads to the Pacific Northwest this weekend as the Dons will begin their West Coast Conference (WCC) schedule against Seattle U (11-2, 0-0 WCC) on Sunday evening at Redhawk Center.
 
GAME 14 DETAILS:
Opponent: Seattle U (11-2, 0-0 WCC)
Date: Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025
Time: 5:00 p.m. PT
Location: Redhawk Center/Seattle, Wash.
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: KNBR 1050 (Pat Olson)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
 
DONS AT A GLANCE:

• San Francisco has bounced back from a three-game skid by winning three of its last four games, heading into conference play on a two-game win streak. USF closed out its nonconference schedule this past Sunday, cruising to a 94-64 victory over Morgan State at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center. The win marked the largest margin of victory this season against a Division I opponent for the green and gold.
• Five Dons scored in double figures in the win over the Bears, led by David Fuchs' career-high-tying 23 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field in 26 minutes off the bench. Legend Smiley followed in the scoring column with 15 points off the bench on a perfect, career-best 8-of-8 shooting from the free throw line. Tyrone Riley IV notched his first double-double of the season with 10 points and a season-high 10 rebounds, marking the third double-double of the sophomore's career.
• As a unit, the green and gold shot a season-best 55.8 percent (29-52) from the field against Morgan State, and scored a season-high 52 points in the second half on Sunday afternoon.
• Heading into league play, the Dons rank second in the WCC in three-pointers made (LMU/9.7), cashing in 9.5 threes per game, which is also tied for 70th-best in the nation per game.
• San Francisco's reserves look to carry their success into WCC action, as the Dons' 34.9 bench points per game rank 29th in the country, and second in the conference behind No. 7/7 Gonzaga (35.2, 23rd).
• Following a historic 13-5 conference record last season, Chris Gerlufsen heads into his fourth West Coast Conference season at the helm of the Dons, seeking a third straight 1-0 start to conference play in Seattle. In Coach Gerlufsen's tenure as head coach, San Francisco remains undefeated in games where the team scores 90-plus points (16-0), shoots at least 50.0 percent from the field (27-0), or has at least five Dons score in double-figures (12-0). Additionally, the rebounding battle continues to be a point of emphasis for USF under Gerlufsen, as the Dons are an impressive 56-6 across the last four seasons when they outrebound their opponent.

SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS:

• The Redhawks have been red hot to start their first season as members of the WCC, compiling an 11-2 nonconference record, tied with Saint Mary's for the second-best record in the conference behind No. 7/7 Gonzaga (12-1). The hot start is also good for Seattle U's best nonconference record since being reinstated as a Division I program in the 2009-10 season.
• Fifth-year head coach Chris Victor enters his first WCC season looking to clinch Seattle's first Division I NCAA Tournament appearance since 1969, while also seeking his fourth 20-win season at the helm of the Redhawks. Last season marked Victor's first campaign as head coach, finishing under 20 wins, as the Redhawks compiled an overall record of 14-18 (8-8 WAC) in Seattle U's final year as members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
• Leading the offense, senior guard Brayden Maldonado is averaging a team-high 15.9 points per game heading into league play (seventh-most in the WCC), impressively shooting 51.2 percent from the field, 45.2 percent from deep, and 97.9 percent from the foul line. Maldonado's near-perfect shooting from the stripe this season (47/48) ranks second-best in the country, only trailing Columbia's Kenny Noland (100.0 percent, 36/36).
• Gonzaga transfer junior Junseok Yeo has found a new home across the state, starting in all 13 games this season and averaging 12.2 points and 4.1 rebounds on 48.7 percent shooting in 27.8 minutes per game, all career-highs for the South Korea native.
• As a squad, Seattle U has established itself as one of the best defensive units in the conference this season, as the Redhawks lead the WCC in blocks per game (5.3, 22nd-most in D-I), steals per game (8.9, 50th-most in D-I), and turnovers forced per game (15.8, 26th-most in D-I). Seattle also ranks in the top three in the conference in turnover margin (second, 3.15), points per game (third, 81.0), opponent points per game (third, 66.5), scoring margin (third, 14.5), and field goal percentage (third, 50.0).

SERIES HISTORY:

• Sunday's WCC opener will mark the 29th all-time matchup between San Francisco and Seattle U, with USF holding a 21-7 advantage in the all-time series. The  Dons and Redhawks most recently met on Dec. 13, 2023, in Seattle U's penultimate season as members of the WAC, with the green and gold prevailing in a close 62-59 win on the Hilltop. San Francisco is 9-5 all-time in Seattle.

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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 US:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our sponsor - Planet Orange - for their continued support of University of San Francisco 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.