Game 1: San Francisco (0-0, 0-0 WCC) vs. Sacramento State (0-0, 0-0 Big Sky)
Friday, Nov. 11 | 6 p.m. | War Memorial at the Sobrato Center (4,268) | Tickets
All-Time Series - USF leads, 7-5 | Last Meeting - W, 95-94, 11/28/15 @ Sac State
Watch: TheW.tv (Play-by-play: George Devine) | Live stats: usfstats.com
Complete game notes (PDF)
 


Coming off a 99-65 win over Cal State Monterey Bay in exhibition action this past week, the USF women's basketball team will look to carry over that momentum as they aim for their third straight season-opening victory when the Dons tip-off against Sacramento State at 6 p.m. on Friday evening in the front end of a USF basketball doubleheader from War Memorial at the Sobrato Center. The men will host Illinois-Chicago at 8 p.m. that night in their season opener.

USF will head into the 2016-17 campaign with the vast majority of their roster intact from last season, however the Dons lost 45 percent of their scoring with the graduation of Taylor Proctor and Zhané Dikes. Led by preseason All-WCC honoree Rachel Howard and her 11.6 points per game, the Dons return three of their five starters from their WCC Championship season in 2015-16.

While Howard has earned the individual honors heading into the year, it was junior forward Michaela Rakova who led the way for the Dons against Cal State Monterey Bay, pouring in 22 points on 9-of- 13 shooting, while grabbing seven rebounds. Rakova, who averaged 4.6 points per game last year, should be a crucial part of the Dons' frontcourt. Not to be outshined was 6-foot- 2 inch redshirt freshman Ninni Salmi, who is also looking to earn some minutes this season and who got off to a strong start with 15 points and seven rebounds in the exhibition win.

The Dons will face a stiff test on the defensive end right out of the gate in trying to corral a Sacramento State team that ranked second in the nation last year – behind national champs UConn – in scoring offense at 87.5 points per game. The high volume offensive approach resulted in an NCAA-best 12.5 threes-per- game in 2015-16. The Hornets, who finished 14-17 overall last year, good for seventh place in the Big West, return three starters, including their second-leading scorer in senior guard Brianna Burgos, who averaged 14.4 points per contest. Sac State topped Holy Names, 92-55, and San Francisco State, 81-46, in two exhibition contests.

USF will be looking for their second straight win over the Hornets after narrowly edging Sac State last year at the The Nest, 95-94, a game in which Howard tallied a career-high 25 points. The Dons own a 7-5 advantage in the all-time series.

As part of the evening's festivities, USF's 2016 WCC Women's Championship banner will be unveiled in between games of the doubleheader.

Fans may purchase general admission tickets to both games of the doubleheader for just $11 – a $19 savings off the normal price of $30. The special $11 tickets may be purchased on-line at USFDons.com/tickets, or at the Sobrato Center box office on the day of the game.

Fans can catch all of the action this year with season tickets starting at $75 for the entire 14-game home schedule. Faculty and staff, students with a valid USF ID and youth 12 and under are free for all women's basketball home games. Click here to get your tickets today.

Looking ahead, USF will stay at home for three of their first four contests, hosting Seattle on Nov. 15 and Long Beach State on Nov. 20, with a road trip to Washington State on Nov. 18 sandwiched in between.