Game #30
San Francisco Dons (12-17, 6-11 WCC) vs. Pacific Tigers (12-17, 4-13 WCC)
Saturday,  Feb. 28, 2015 • 7:00 p.m.
Memorial Gymnasium • San Francisco, Calif.
Series Record: USF 63-34
Last Meeting: USF 77-71 (Dec. 27, 2014)
Audio/Video Streaming: TheW.tv (Pat Olson, Play-by-Play; Jim Brovelli, Analyst)
Television: CSNBA (Glen Kuiper, Play-by-Play; Dan Belluomini, Analyst)

Complete USF Game Notes (PDF) | Complete Pacific Game Notes (PDF)

The Dandy Dons

• Now 12-17 overall and 6-11 in the WCC after dropping a 84-53 decision to Saint Mary's on Thursday...loss snapped a three-game winning streak.
• Enter tonight's game tied with Santa Clara for seventh place in the WCC standings...both teams trail sixth-place Portland and San Diego by one game in the conference standings.
• Looking to sweep the season series vs. Pacific for a second straight year...defeated the Tigers 77-71 in the conference opener on Dec. 27 in Stockton...have won three straight overall vs. UOP.
• Are 7-8 in 15 home games this season, including a 2-6 mark against conference foes.
• Are now 25-15 in the month of February dating back to the 2009-10 season, including an 13-7 mark in the last three Februarys.
• Nine of USF's 12 wins this season have been by double digit margins and by and avergage of 22.3 points (80.1-57.8)...have six wins of 20-points or more after last Thursday night's 27-point victory at LMU.
• Of USF's 11 conference losses, six have been by eight points or fewer (31 total), including a pair of one point setbacks...however, have also suffered three 31-point losses in conference play for the first time in program history.
• Have shot 50 percent or better from the floor eight times this season, including four such efforts in the last 10 games...now shooting 45.5 percent on the season - fourth best in the WCC.
• Have been outboarded in 12 of 17 conference games after holding the advantage on the glass in 10 of 12 non-conference games...were +9.7 on the boards vs. non-conference foes and are -3.4 vs. conference opponents...rank fifth in the WCC in rebound average (35.0) and are sixth in rebound margin (+2.1).
• Three players - Matt Glover (5.5), Mark Tollefsen (5.4) and Kruize Pinkins (5.4) - are averaging at least 5.0 rebounds per game while Tim Derksen is averaging 4.4.
• Are 19-for-58 (32.7) from long distance over the last three games...shooting 35.1 percent from three-point range this season, which ranks seventh in the WCC...however, shooting just 31.1 percent from beyond the arc in conference play.
• Shooting just 62.0 percent from the line, which ranks 10th in the WCC and is the 11th lowest percentage in the nation among Division I teams...slightly better in WCC play at 67.0 percent.
• Junior Tim Derksen is averaging 17.0 ppg (68 total) and shooting 54.8 percent from the field over the last four games...now averaging 12.3 ppg on the season to ranks as the Dons' third-leading scorer.
• Seniors Chris Adams, Matt Glover, Gavin Hoffmann and Kruize Pinkins will be honored prior to tonight's game.

Notables

Opening Tip
USF (12-17, 6-11 WCC) wraps up the regular season tonight against the Pacific Tigers (12-17, 4-13 WCC) in Memorial Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. The Dons are coming off an 84-53 loss to Saint Mary's on Thursday night while the Tigers scored a 64-57 victory at Santa Clara. USF has won three of its last four games while UOP has won two straight following an eight-game losing streak.

Series History with Pacific
In a series that dates back to the 1911-12 season, USF leads the all-time series with Pacific, 63-34. The Dons have won three straight in the series, including a 77-71 decision earlier this season in Stockton. USF swept the season series last year, posting an 81-72 overtime victory in Stockton and winning 64-59 on the Hilltop. However, Pacific holds a 10-6 edge in the last 16 games in the series dating back to the 2000-01 season. Two of the charter members of the WCC, USF and Pacific met 44 times as conference foes from 1952-71, with the Dons holding a 30-14 advantage.

First Meeting With Pacific
USF opened West Coast Conference play with a 77-71 victory at Pacific on Dec. 27 in Stockton. Mark Tollefsen scored a career high 24 points, Kruize Pinkins added 16 and Devin Watson chipped in 14 off the bench to pace the Dons in scoring. USF trailed 59-53 with 7:40 remaining but scored eight straight points to take a 61-59 lead on a Tollefsen 3-pointer with 5:43 left. Another 3-ball by Tollefsen broke a 63-63 tie and gave the Dons a lead they would not relinquish. All told, USF outscored Pacific, 24-12 over the last 7:40 of the game. The Dons finished with 19 assists and committed just three turnovers. USF also made 16-of-20 free throw tries. Stockton native T.J. Wallace of Pacific led all scorers with 26 points.
 
Last Time Out
USF saw its three-game winning streak come to an abruby halt Thursday night against Saint Mary's as the Gaels scored a 84-53 decision over the Dons in Memorial Gymnasium. USF never led in the game and trailed 49-29 at the half after the Gaels connected on 11-of-17 first half three-pointers. Saint Mary's outscored USF 11-2 at the onset of the second period to extend its lead to 60-32. The Gaels shot 58.9 percent from the floor, including 51.9 percent (14-of-27) from long distance and held a 41-24 on the boards. USF shot just 34.6 percent from the game. Garrett Jackson led all scorers with 26 points while Brad Waldow and Kerry Carter finished with 18 points each. Tim Derksen was the only USF player to score in double figures with 12 points. 

The Record
At 12-17 overall, USF is seven games off its pace from last season when the Dons were 19-10 overall and 12-5 in the WCC at the 29-game mark. The Dons won game 30 to improve to 20-10 overall and 13-5 in conference play before ultimately finishing with a 21-12 overall mark. After a 3-0 start, USF is 9-17 over its last 26 games.

The Scenario
USF can claim the sixth seed in next week's WCC Championships with a win tonight over Pacific and a Portland loss to San Diego and a Santa Clara loss to Saint Mary's. Otherwise, the Dons will be the No. 7 seed with a win over Pacific and a Santa Clara loss. Should USF and Santa Clara both lose on Saturday, the Dons will claim the seventh seed based on its sweep of Pepperdine. Should the Dons and Broncos both win today, Santa Clara would claim the seventh seed due to its win over Saint Mary's.

The Wins
Of USF's 12 wins this season, nine have been by double digit margins and an average of 20.6 points (78.1 to 57.5). 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 double digit victories over Hawaii (88-73), Montana (76-57), Portland (89-77), Pepperdine (71-59) and Loyola Marymount (72-45). 

The Losses
Of USF's 12 conference losses, four have been by eight points or fewer. USF  has lost a pair of one-point games to San Diego (57-56) and LMU (70-69) on its home floor, dropped a six-point decision at Santa Clara (70-64), fell by four points at BYU (78-74) and lost by eight points at San Diego (77-69) after squandering a late lead. However, the Dons have suffered three, 31-point losses in conference play to Gonzaga (88-57), BYU (99-68) and Saint Mary's (84-53).

The Home Record
USF is 7-8 at home this season, including 2-6 vs. WCC foes. The Dons only two conference wins have come over Pepperdine (71-59) and Santa Clara (69-62 OT). USF was 13-6 on the Memorial Gymnasium hadwood last season, including a 7-2 mark against WCC opposition with the losses coming to Gonzaga and BYU.

The Road Record
USF is 4-7 in true road games this season and is 5-9 in all games away from Memorial Gymnasium. All four of the Dons road wins came at the expense of WCC foes - 77-71 at Pacific (Dec. 27); 89-77 at Portland (Jan. 10), 72-45 at LMU (Feb. 19) and 56-54 at Pepperdine (Feb. 21). With its win at Pepperdine, USF is now 14-8 in its last 22 conference road games dating back to the 2012-13 season.

Fabulous in February
Over the last five seasons dating back to the 2009-10 campaign, USF has posted a 25-15 (.625) record in the month of February, including a 13-7 mark over the last three seasons (5-2 in 2012-13; 5-2 in 2013-14; 3-3 in 2014-15).

Dons Defensively
After holding its previous three opponents under the 70 point mark, the Dons allowed 84 points to Saint Mary's on Thursday night, including 49 in the first half. USF ranks seventh overall in the WCC in points allowed per game (68.0) but the Dons are allowing 71.2 ppg in conference action. After limiting 12 non-conference opponents to 38.9 percent shooting from the floor, conference foes have clipped the nets at 45.8 percent. USF ranks fifth overall in field goal defense at 42.8 percent.

Board Work
After outrebounding 10 of its 12 non-conference opponents by 8.3 boards a game, USF has been outrebounded in 12 of 17 conference games, 34.8 to 31.4. USF ranks fifth the WCC in rebound average at 35.0 per game and seventh in rebound margin (+1.4). In 12 wins this season, USF has held a decisive advantage on the boards (38.5-31.2). Three players -- Matt Glover (5.5), Mark Tollefsen (5.4) and Kruize Pinkins (5.4) - are averaging at least 5.0 rebounds per game while Tim Derksen is averaging 4.4. All four players have pulled down 10 or more rebounds in a game this season.

From the Field
USF managed to shoot just 34.6 percent from the floor in suffering a 31-point loss to Saint Mary's on Thursday. The Dons have shot 50 percent or better from the field in eight games this season, including four times in the last 10 games. USF is shooting 45.5 percent from the field this season, which ranks fourth in the WCC.

From the Line
USF is shooting 62.0 percent from the foul line, which ranks last in the WCC and is the 10th-lowest percentate among 345 Division I teams. The Dons are slightly better in conference action at 67.6 percent.

Beyond the Arc
The Dons have made just 48-of-197 (24.3) of its three-point attempts over the last 11 games and now rank seventh in the WCC in three-point field goal percentage at 35.1. The Dons are shooting 39 percent (87-for-223) from long distance in 12 wins this season and just 32.2 percent (99-for-307 from beyond the arc in 17 losses. USF is shooting 31.1 percent from long distance in conference play.

Lineups
USF has employed seven different starting lineups this season, with the quintent of Mark Tollefsen-Matt Glover-Matt Christiansen-Tim Derksen-and Devin Watson staying intact for the last five games, which is the longest stretch of sustainability for any of the team's starting combinations this season. The Dons used just three different starting fives all of last season.

Derksen's Last Four
Junior Tim Derksen is averaging 17.0 points (68 total), 3.3 rebounds and is shooting 55.2 percent (21-for-38) from the field (78.3 percent line) over the last four games. After scoring 18 points in an overtime win over Santa Clara, Derksen scored 19 points in both games last week at LMU and Pepperdine and tallied a team-high 12 points Thursday vs. Saint Mary's. He is now averaging 12.4 ppg, his highest scoring average since after the 10th game of the season (12.3).

Hustle Numbers
Senior Matt Glover ranks 11th in the WCC in rebounding (5.5), eighth in steals (1.3) and 11th in assists per game (3.2).