LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The University of San Francisco (USF) men's basketball team fought through an evenly-matched first half on Saturday night before the Dons broke out in the second period to overpower Portland (15-19, 6-12 WCC), 82-65, and advance to the 2026 Credit Union 1 WCC Championship Quarterfinals.

USF had four players score in double figures, led by David Fuchs, who recorded a double-double with 23 points and 16 rebounds. Tyrone Riley IV tacked on 18 points, four assists, and two blocks, and Junjie Wang helped out with 12 points.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

• Fuchs netted the first seven points of the contest for San Francisco, but the two teams exchanged baskets to begin the evening. After falling behind 27-22, the Dons went on a 5-0 run with 1:02 left in the first half to tie the game at 27.
• The game stayed close for the remainder of the period, as the Dons and Pilots went into halftime knotted at 29-29. San Francisco took advantage of 10 Portland turnovers in the period, scoring nine points off those turnovers.
• Coming out of the locker room, both sides continued to trade blows as the game was all even at 44 with 12:54 remaining in regulation. San Francisco then flipped a switch, reeling off an 11-0 run to seize a 55-44 lead with 10:10 to go in the contest. With 5:59 left on the clock, a dunk from Fuchs gave USF its largest lead of the night at 21 points, 70-49. The Dons kept expanding the margin in the closing minutes and cruised the rest of the way for the 82-65 win.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

• Fuchs' performance marked his eighth double-double of the season, as his 23 points and 16 rebounds were both game-highs. Fuchs' 16 rebounds also marked a new season-high for the forward and the ninth time he has pulled down ten or more rebounds.
• Riley IV scored all 18 of his points in the second half and reached double figures for a 19th time this season. Overall, the sophomore shot 5-of-11 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free throw line, marking a new career-high in free throws made. The Watts native also added four assists, three rebounds, two blocks, and one steal in a team-high 37 minutes. These four assists and two blocks also tied his season-high.
• Legend Smiley was active on the defensive end on Saturday, tying his career-high with three steals. He also displayed great vision on the offensive end, dishing out a new career-high six assists in the win.
• The Dons had a 39-35 edge on the boards in the win, including pulling down 17 offensive rebounds as a team, which turned into 16 second-chance points. Alongside Fuchs and Riley IV, Ryan Beasley tied his season-high with seven rebounds.
• USF's defense forced 16 turnovers throughout the night, which turned into 21 points on the offensive end for San Francisco. USF only allowed seven turnovers as a unit, dishing out 17 total assists for a balanced attack.

POSTGAME WITH THE DONS:

• To view the full postgame interview with head coach Chris Gerlufsen, David Fuchs, and Tyrone Riley IV, please click here.

UP NEXT:
Fifth-seeded San Francisco will now face fourth-seeded Oregon State in the 2026 Credit Union 1 WCC Championship Quarterfinals tomorrow, Sunday, Mar. 8. Tipoff from Orleans Arena is scheduled for 5:30 pm PT, with Dave Flemming and Sean Farnham on the call on ESPN2, and Pat Olson and Jim Brovelli on the call on KNBR 1050. Streaming, radio, live statistics, and ticket links are available via the team's schedule page.
 
FOLLOW US:
For updates and more information on the San Francisco men's basketball program, follow the Dons @USFDonsMBB on Twitter, @USFDonsMBB on Instagram, and @USFDonsMBB 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 US:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our sponsor - Provident Credit Union - 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.

*This article was created using technology provided by Data Skrive*