MALIBU, Calif. – Returning to the win column with its largest margin of victory this season, the University of San Francisco women's basketball team (11-12, 8-6 WCC) earned a convincing 72-48 win at Pepperdine (8-14, 3-10 WCC) Thursday evening at Firestone Fieldhouse.
 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

• Freja Werth and Emma Trawally Porta opened the game with field goals in back-to-back possessions, giving San Francisco a 5-0 edge in the first 42 seconds of the first quarter.
• Leading 9-7 at 5:12, the Dons scored eight straight points for a double-digit lead, 17-7, with 1:43 remaining in the quarter. Luana Leite kickstarted the scoring run with two free throws and a driving layup, while Trawally Porta closed with four straight tallies in the paint.
• Ending the first quarter well, the green and gold scored seven of the final nine points, highlighted by an Angeliki Ziaka last-second heave for a commanding 24-10 advantage.
• Despite Pepperdine recording a 4-0 run to begin the second quarter, trimming San Francisco's edge to 24-14, back-to-back three-pointers from Cami Fulcher and Ziaka expanded the margin to 16, 30-14, at 7:02.
• Continuing to find success from long range, the Dons pushed the margin to 23, 43-20, at 1:45 after Werth and Ziaka posted three-pointers in consecutive possessions.
• Pepperdine's Megan Harkey recorded the final field goal of the half, a layup, cutting Waves' deficit to 21, 43-22 at the break.
• The Waves cut into the Dons' lead at the start of the third quarter, using a 5-2 run to bring their deficit to 18, 45-27, at 8:06 following two free throws from Chloe Sotell.
• The Don's advantage quickly ballooned to 24, 57-33, near the end of the period following a 12-6 scoring run. Four players found the basket throughout the nearly seven-minute run, highlighted by a made jumper from Elle Papahronis at 1:14 to conclude the scoring.
• The two teams traded field goals in the quarter's final minute as the green and gold held a 59-35 lead heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
• San Francisco held a double-digit lead throughout the final quarter of play as Seynabou Thiam and Ziaka combined for the final five points to secure the 24-point victory, 72-48. 

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

• Trawally Porta led San Francisco in scoring, recording a season-high 22 points on an efficient 56.3 percent (nine-for-16) from the field. She also paced the Dons on the glass, grabbing eight rebounds to lead the team. Defensively, she added two blocks and one steal.
• In 27 minutes off the bench, Ziaka scored 16 points while leading the team in three-pointers with four.
• Leite also ended the game in double figures, recording 11 points on 50 percent (four-for-eight) shooting. Leite, along with Ziaka, posted five assists to lead the team and recorded a game-high three steals.
• As a team, San Francisco outdueled Pepperdine in rebounds (36-30), points off turnovers (16-11), points in the paint (36-22), and second-chance points (13-9).

UP NEXT:
San Francisco returns its two-game road swing at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8, when it travels to take on Saint Mary's at UCU Pavilion.
 
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 primary sponsor – Provident Credit Union –  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.