The University of San Francisco men's basketball team is back on the Hilltop for the second to last home game of 2019 when the Dons (9-3) host UC Davis (5-8) at 2:00 p.m.  USF and the Aggies will tip off at 2:00 p.m. in a game that will be streamed online at The WCC Network with Pat Olson and Jim Brovelli calling the action courtside.  Fans can also tune into Olson and Brovelli's radio call on the official home of USF Dons Basketball, KNBR 1050-AM.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Dec. 21, 2019 – 2:00 p.m.
Opponent: UC Davis Aggies (5-8/0-0 Big West)
Site: War Memorial at the Sobrato Center  
TV:  The WCC Network
Talent: Pat Olson (play-by-play) and Jim Brovelli (analyst)
Radio:  KNBR 1050-AM
Talent: Pat Olson (play-by-play) and Jim Brovelli (analyst)
Live Stats: USFDons.com
 
USF AT A GLANCE
•  USF is 9-3 - after opening the season 7-0, the Dons have lost three of their last five.  On Tuesday, the Dons fell on the road at Stanford 64-56 a game in which they led for over 27 minutes. 

• Scoring Abundance:  The Dons are led by coach Golden - the defensive coordinator from last year's team. This year the Dons are scoring.  A lot.  USF entered this week averaging 82.3 points per game which ranks 18th in the NCAA. The Dons are 55th in the nation in scoring margin at +12.4. 

• At home this season, the Dons are 7-1 - they are averaging 86.1 points per game and shooting 45.0 percent from the field.  Their opponents are averaging 70.0 points per game and shooting 43.0 percent from the field.

• With the loss at Stanford, the Dons finished their run of Pac-12 games 1-2.  USF fell to Arizona State by four on Dec. 3 and came back the following night to defeat Cal 76-64.

• Entering Saturday's game against the Aggies, the Dons are 1-1 after coming off a loss. Last season, the Dons were 3-5 following a loss.

• Unfortunate Firsts:  The loss at Stanford was marked three ugly firsts: first loss when leading at halftime, first loss when tied or leading with 5:00 minutes to play and first loss when the Dons outrebounded their opponent.
 
• The 9-3 start in Golden's first year is tied for the fourth-best start by a first year head coach through Dec. 20.  Golden trails Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman (9-1, .900), Saint John's head coach Mike Anderson (10-2, .833) and Tulane's head coach Ron Hunter (8-2, .800).  He is tied with Shane Burcar of Northern Arizona who is 6-2 (.750). 
 
THE SERIES VS. UC Davis
The Dons and Aggies are playing for the third consecutive season after a 40 year hiatus in the series.  Saturday's contest will be the 10th time in a series history that dates all the way back to the 1934-35 season.  All-time the Dons are 8-1 against the Aggies and have won seven-straight.  At War Memorial at the Sobrato Center USF is 4-0.  The last time the Aggies made the trip to the Hilltop was on Dec. 15, 2017 when USF defeated UC Davis 74-63.  Last season, USF made the trip to Davis for the first time to open the 2018-19 campaign and defeated the Aggies 76-42 on Nov. 6, 2018.
 
About the Aggies
UC Davis was picked to finish eighth in the 10-team Big West Conference. The Aggies enter Saturday's game with a 5-8 overall record. After going on a six-game losing streak from Nov. 15 to Nov. 29 the Aggies have won three of their last five including a 67-65 win over LMU at home thanks to a half-court buzzer beater. As a team, UCD is averaging 69.0 points per game and shooting 45.2 percent from the field.  Their opponents are averaging 69.7 points per game and shooting 45.3 percent from the field.  Three players are averaging better than 10 points per game, leading the team is senior guard Joe Mooney who is averaging 15.5 points per game.
 
Last Time Out Versus UC Davis
On Nov. 6, 2018 the Dons made the short trip to Davis, Calif., to open the 2018-19 campaign at The Pavilion.  The put on a tremendous defensive effort and held the Aggies to 42 points - 16 in the second half.  The Dons had three players finish in double figures led by Charles Minlend's game-high 16 points.  It was his return to action after missing the 2017-18 season.  The 34-point victory for the Dons was their largest margin of victory in a season opener against a Division I team since the Dons defeated North Carolina State, 91-52, on Nov. 16, 2014.  The 34-point margin of victory is the largest road win to begin a season ever.  The previous record was a 23-point margin of victory over UC Santa Barbara to begin the 1978-79 season.
 
UP NEXT
The Dons will head back out on the road for their final road game of the 2019 year.  USF travels to Fresno to take on Fresno State on Monday, Dec. 23.  The game is slated for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.