Game #15
San Francisco Dons (7-7, 1-1 WCC) vs. San Diego Toreros (7-7, 0-2 WCC)
Thursday,  Jan. 1, 2015 • 7:00 p.m.
Memorial Gymnasium • San Francisco, Calif.
Series Record: USF 40-34
Last Meeting: USF 69-60 (Mar. 8, 2014)
Audio/Video Streaming: TheW.tv (Pat Olson, Play-by-Play; Jim Brovelli, Analyst)
Television: None

Watch Tonight's Game Live in theW.tv

Complete USF Game Notes (PDF)

The Dandy Dons

• Now 7-7 overall and 1-1 in the WCC after dropping a 69-56 decision at Saint Mary's on Monday...are 4-5 over the last nine games.
• Are 3-2 in New Year's Day games...rang in 2011 with a 68-47 win over Dominican here in Memorial Gym.
• Were 8-6 at the 14-game mark last season...won the next three games to improve to 11-6 overall and 4-1 in the WCC.
• Swept the season series against San Diego last year and also defeated the Toreros in the quarterfinals of the WCC Tournament...are 9-1 vs. San Diego dating back to the 2009-10 season.
• Have four wins this season by 30-points or more and have won seven games this season by an average of 26.8 points.
• Have been outrebounded each of the last two games against Pacific and Saint Mary's after outboarding10 of its first 12 opponents...rank third the WCC in rebound average at 38.5 and are fourth in rebound margin (+6.5)...rank second in offensive rebounds per game (12.3).
• Three players - Kruize Pinkins (6.4), Matt Glover (5.9) and Mark Tollefsen (5.4) - are averaging at least 5.0 rebounds per game while Tim Derksen is averagaing 4.7.
• Shooting 47.1 percent from the floor, second-best in the WCC...have shot 50 percent or better in four games this season, including a season-high 64.9 effort vs. Montana.
• Allowed Saint Mary's to shoot 51.9 percent from the floor, the highest single-game field goal percentage turned in by an opponent this season...Dons are holding opponents to 40.3 percent shooting on the year, which is the third best mark in the WCC.
• Tied for first in the WCC in three-point percentage at 39.4 percent (99-for-251)...t-fifth in three-pointers made per game at 7.1...junior Tim Derksen ranks second in the WCC in 3-point field goal percentage at .500 (23-for-46).
• Are 23-for-30 (.767) from the line over the last two games but are shooting just 57.8 (185-320) from the stripe on the season...rank last among WCC teams in free throw percentage.
• Senior Kruize Pinkins continues to lead the team in scoring (15.6) and rebounding (6.4)...he ranks in the top-10 in three WCC statistical categories, including scoring (7th), rebounding (8th) and offensive rebounds (3rd; 2.7).
• Junior Mark Tollefsen was held to single digits for the first time this season at Saint Mary's, scoring nine points...he ranks eighth in the WCC in scoring (15.4), sixth in field goal percentage (55.5) and fourth in three-point percentage (46.9).
• Play host to BYU on Saturday in an 8:00 p.m. start...then travel to the Pacific Northwest for games at Gonzaga (Jan. 8) and Portland (Jan. 10).

Notables

Opening Tip
USF (7-7, 1-1 WCC) rings in the New Year by hosting the San Diego Toreros (7-7, 0-2) in a West Coast Conference game in Memorial Gymnasium. Both teams are coming off losses on Monday. The Dons dropped a 69-56 decision at Saint Mary's while the Toreros fell at home to Gonzaga, 60-48.

Series History with San Diego
USF leads the all-time series with San Diego, 40-34. USF has won nine out of the last 10 contests vs. the Toreros and swept last year's season series, winning 64-62 in San Francisco (1/18) and 74-64 at the Jenny Craig Pavilion (2/6).  The Dons also defeated San Diego, 69-60 in the quarterfinals of the WCC Championship in Las Vegas.

Last Year's Games vs. San Diego
USF snapped a two-game losing streak with a 64-62 victory on Jan.  18 as Avry Holmes floater on the right baseline with 0.5 remaining accounted for the victory. Holmes scored nine of his team high 15 point over the final 3:16 of the game. Kruize Pinkins posted his fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds while Cole Dickerson added 10. The Dons shot 53.5 percent from the floor and held San Digeo to 42.9 percent. There were 13 ties in the game, eight lead changes and the two teams were never separated by more than four points in the second half.

The second meeting saw USF rally from a 56-46 deficit with 9:22 remaining to defeat San Diego, 74-67 on Feb. 6 at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. The Dons used a 12-2 run to tie the game at 58 with 4:26 left and later ripped off 10 straight points to take a 68-61 lead with :57 seconds remaining. Cole Dickerson scored a game-high 21 points while Avry Holmes added 15. Kruize Pinkins recorded his fifth double-double of the year with 14 points and 11 rebounds while Tim Derksen came off the bench to add 13. USF shot 50 percent from the floor, despite going 6-of-24 from 3-point range, and outrebounded the Toreros, 38-35.

The two teams met for a third time in the quarterfinals of the WCC Championship, with USF prevailing 69-60 behind Avry Holmes' team high 19 points. Tim Derksen and Cole Dickerson scored 15 and 14 points, respectively. USF limited the Toreros to just 37.3 shooting from the floor. USF also won the battle of the boards, 37-28. The Dons made 6-of-7 three-pointers in the first half to build a 33-23 lead at the break. USF led by as many as 14 points at 42-28 with 14:33 left only to see the Toreros go on a 19-6 run to cut the lead to one at 48-47 with 8:36 left. Holmes then scored seven points in an 8-0 USF run that gave USF a 56-47 lead with 5:52 left. San Diego would not get closer than seven points down the stretch.

Last Time Out
USF dropped a 69-56 decision at Saint Mary's on Monday night, marking the Dons 12th straight loss in Moraga. USF's two leading scorers Kruize Pinkins and Mark  Tollefsen were held to four and nine points respectively on a combined 5-of-18 shooting from the floor. Brad Waldow led all scorers with 21 points. USF trailed by five points at the half at 29-24 but were outscored 13-4 to start the second half as the Gaels built a 42-28 lead with 13:57 remaining. The Dons could get no closer than nine points down the stretch. Saint Mary's shot 60 percent in the second half and took advantage of 14 USF turnovers which led to 21 points.

Dons on New Year's Day
USF is 3-2 all-time in five New Year's Day games. The Dons last played on New Years in 2011, defeating Dominican 68-47. USF's other New Year's Day games came in 1949 (Bradley; W 60-58), 1951 (Niagara; W 53-45), 1972 (Oklahoma City; L 77-75) and 2005 (Texas Tech; L 97-53).

The Start
At 7-7, USF is one game off its pace of last season when the Dons were 8-6 on the year at the 14-game mark. The Dons won their next three games to improve to 11-6 overall and 4-1 in the WCC.

The Wins
USF's seven wins this season have come by an average of 26.8 points (82.9 to 56.1). The Dons have posted four wins of 30 points or more against South Carolina State (91-52), Notre Dame de Namur (86-46), Houston Baptist (85-54) and Portland State (77-40) and also own decisive victories over Hawaii (88-73) and Montana (76-57).

The Defensive Numbers
USF ranks fifth in the WCC in points allowed per game (64.5) and third in field goal defense (.403). The Dons allowed Saint Mary's to shoot a season-high 51.9 percent from the field as the Gaels became just the fourth time to eclipse the 50 percent mark against the USF defense. The Dons also rank t-third in steals per game (6.5) and are seventh in blocks (2.4).

Board Work
The Dons have been outrebounded in each of its first two WCC games against Pacific (36-30) and Saint Mary's (30-28). However, the Dons outrebounded 10 of 12 opponents this season and rank third the WCC in rebound average at 38.5 per game. USF also ranks fourth among WCC teams in rebound margin (6.5). The Dons also rank second in the conference in offensive rebounds with a 12.3 per game mark. Three players - Kruize Pinkins (6.4), Matt Glover (5.9) and Mark Tollefsen (5.4) - are averaging at least 5.0 rebounds per game while Tim Derksen is averagaing 4.7.

From the Field
The Dons are shooting 47.1 percent from the field this season which ranks second in the WCC. USF shot 55.6 percent from the field vs. Houston Baptist, marking the fourth time this season USF has shot 50 percent or better from the floor. Mark Tollefsen ranks sixth in the WCC in field goal percentage at 55.5.

From the Line
USF has made 23-of-30 (.767) of its free throws over the last two games. However, the Dons are shooting just 57.8 percent (185-320) from the line at the 14 game mark of the season, which ranks last in the WCC and is the third worst mark in the naton among 345 Division I teams. USF's 320 free throw attempts are tied for the 21st highest total in the nation. 

Beyond the Arc
USF is tied for first in the WCC and ranks 28th nationlly in three-point field goal percentage at .394 (99-for-251). Junior Tim Derksen (50.0 23-for-46) ranks second in the WCC while Mark Tollefsen ranks fourth (46.9; 23-for-49).