SEASIDE, Calif. – The University of San Francisco men's basketball improved to 4-0 on the young season and did it on the strength of another 30-point victory as the Dons defeated visiting LIU Brooklyn 84-52 on Sunday evening at the Kelp Bed on the campus of Cal State Monterey Bay.
 
USF had an uncharacteristically cold night from 3-point range going 5-for-19 from distance but it did not matter as the Dons owned the key, scoring 56 of their 84 points in the paint.  The Dons shot 54.8 percent from the field going 34-for-62.
 
Charles Minlend was one of three players for USF to score in double figures, he finished the night with 20 points going 8-for-14.  He was the catalyst to the Dons' strong start, scoring 15 of his 20 before the intermission.  Joining Minlend in double figures was Jimbo Lull with a career-high 18 points, and Frankie Ferrari who chipped in 10 points.
 
Lull, and Matt McCarthy were beasts in the paint.  Lull finished the night 7-for-10 from the floor with a season-high seven rebounds. McCarthy finished with eight points and seven rebounds.  The Dons finished the night with 51 rebounds, on shy of a season-high. 
 
With 15:22 in the second half, the Blackbirds (3-1) cut the Dons lead to nine with a layup by Raiquan Clark. From there the Dons rolled.  USF finished the night on a 19-1 run over the final 7:19 holding the Blackbirds to 1-of-11 shooting.  Clark was one of two Blackbirds to finish in double figures, he had 13.  Ty Flowers led LIU Brooklyn with 16. 
 
GAME NOTES

• The Dons improve to 4-0 for the second time under head coach Kyle Smith, and third time since the 2006-07 season.
• The Dons finished the night +23 in the rebound margin, their third game this season with a +20 or better advantage on the glass.  USF has outrebounded all four of its opponents by at least 15 rebounds this season.
• USF shot better than 50.0 percent for the fourth time this season, the Dons shot 50.0 percent or better just six times last year.
• The Dons 56 points in the paint surpasses the 50 points in the paint by USF in the win over UC Davis to start the season.  The 56 points in the paint is a record for the Dons in the Smith era.
• Frankie Ferrari entered the night with a 20-1 assist to turnover ratio, that number will go down slightly as he finished tonight with seven assists and two turnovers.  His 9/1 assist to turnover ratio is still tied for sixth in the NCAA.

 
UP NEXT
Sunday's game against LIU Brooklyn was moved to Seaside, Calif., because of the poor air quality in the Bay Area. The Dons return to home on Wednesday night when they take on Harvard at 7:00 p.m. The game will be streamed live on TheW.tv with Pat Olson and Jim Brovelli calling the action courtside.  Tickets for Wednesday's game can be purchased at Dons Ticket Central.