SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Returning to the comforts of the Hilltop, the University of San Francisco men's basketball team (14-2, 1-0) bounced back on Saturday afternoon as the Dons routed San Diego, 88-73, at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center for their first conference win of the season.
 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

• Applying pressure offensively out of the gates, the Dons jumped out to a 16-5 lead through the first six minutes of play following a three-pointer from Gabe Stefanini at 14:00.
• Keeping close, the Toreros battled back to trim their deficit to four, 23-19, at the 6:55 mark, but USF responded with a 12-6 run to push their advantage back to double digits, 36-25, after a pair of made free throws from Khalil Shabazz at 3:22.
• Hitting the gas pedal right before the break, Jamaree Bouyea danced through the paint for a layup with :02 remaining on the clock as the basket sent the Dons into the locker room with a fourteen-point lead over the Toreros, 46-32.
• Moving into the second half, USF remained in control following a free throw from Yauhen Massalski at 15:50, which helped the Dons stretch their advantage to seventeen, 58-41, less than four minutes into the half.
• Displaying his all-out effort, Shabazz got the crowd on their feet after notching back-to-back steals as the midway point of the half approached. Converting on the opportunities, the Seattle native then raced down the floor in transition for two consecutive layups to keep USF on top, 66-49, at the 10:24 mark.
• Defending their home court, the Dons continued to hit their stride offensively as the Toreros did not come within more than thirteen points down the stretch of the contest. Improving to a perfect 10-0 at War Memorial, USF cruised to their first victory of West Coast Conference play with a dominant 88-73 win over San Diego. 

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

• Getting it done on both ends, Shabazz was named the Player of the Game after recording a new season-high with 27 points (11-17, 3-5 3PT, 2-2 FT). Additionally, the 6'0" guard also added six rebounds, three steals and two assists in the win.
• Facing his former team for the first time since transferring to USF, Massalski dazzled with his fourth double-double of the season as he finished with 21 points (9-13 FG) and a season-high 17 rebounds.
• Delivering once again, Bouyea logged double figures for the thirteenth time in sixteen games this season after tallying 19 points on 8-of-15 from the floor. Notably, the 2x WCC Player of the Week also recorded four rebounds, three assists and two steals for the Dons.
• As a team, San Francisco shot exactly 50.0 percent from the field, marking the fourth straight game and seventh time this season in which USF has accomplished this feat. Overall, the Dons led San Diego in points in the paint (48-40), points off turnovers (18-2), second chance points (19-10) and fast break points (11-3). 

UP NEXT:
USF will remain at home as the Dons are set to continue WCC action next week when they host Loyola Marymount on Thursday, Jan. 13 followed by a battle with BYU on Saturday, Jan. 15. Both games will be televised live on CBS Sports Network at 8:00 pm local time. Live stream, radio, live statistics and ticket links are all available via the team's schedule page.
 
POSTGAME:

• To view the full highlights of today's contest, please click here.
• To view the full postgame interview with head coach Todd Golden, please click here.
• To view the full postgame interview with guard Khalil Shabazz, please click here. 

TICKETS AND MERCHANDISE:
Single-game tickets for West Coast Conference basketball games are currently on sale at www.usfdons.com/tickets. 

Want to dress like the Dons? Rep USF today by visiting the all-new USF Dons online store at www.usfdons.com/shop.
 
FOLLOW US:
For updates and more information on the USF men's basketball program, follow the Dons @USFDonsMBB on Twitter, @USFDonsMBB on Instagram and @USFDonsMBB on Facebook.