INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Back in the Big Dance for the first time since the 1997-1998 season, the tenth seeded University of San Francisco men's basketball team (24-9, 10-6 WCC) is set to face off against seventh seeded Murray State (30-2, 18-0 OVC) in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday night.
GAME 34 INFORMATION:
Date/Time: Thursday, Mar. 17, 2022 – 6:40 p.m. PT / 9:40 pm ET
Opponent: #20/20 Murray State (30-2, 18-0 OVC)
Site: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Video: CBS (Ian Eagle, Jim Spanarkel, Jamie Erdahl)
Listen: KNBR 1050 (Pat Olson + Jim Brovelli)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
DONS AT GLANCE:
- Battling the nation's top team in their last time out, USF fell in a hard-fough contest, 81-71, to No. 1/1 Gonzaga in the semifinal round of the WCC Tournament on Monday, Mar. 7 at Orleans Arena. Despite the loss, both Khalil Shabazz (27 points) and Julian Rishwain (20 points) tied their season-high in points against the Zags.
- Heading into the tournament, the Dons remain elite on both ends of the ball as USF currently ranks No. 21 in Bart Torvik, No. 21 in KenPom and No. 22 in the NCAA's Net Rankings. Notably, USF is one of three WCC teams in the top 25 of each ranking (Gonzaga, Saint Mary's). With 24 total wins on the season, USF has already recorded their most overall wins in a single season since the program was reinstated in 1985-86.
- Recently, Jamaree Bouyea and Yauhen Massalski were named First Team All-WCC while Shabazz was named Second Team All-WCC for the 2021-22 season. Overall, these honors marked the second year in a row in which Bouyea and Shabazz were both named to All-WCC teams. Additionally, Bouyea was selected to the NABC District 9 First Team while Massalski was selected to the District 9 Second Team. Notably, this also marks the second straight year Bouyea was honored by the NABC as the versatile guard was a Second Team selection in 2020-21.
- Shabazz enters the NCAA Tournament fresh off of being selected to the 2022 All-WCC Tournament Team, an event at which he averaged 24.5 points per game. Bouyea is a two-time First Team All- WCC honoree, who recently became the winningest player in USF history with 98 career wins. At midseason, Bouyea was named to the Lou Henson Award Watch List, an award which recognizes the best player in mid-major basketball. He is primed to become San Francisco's first NBA Draft selection since 1982.
SCOUTING THE RACERS:
- Thursday's game marks the 18th appearance all-time for the Racers in the NCAA Tournament and the third in the last five years under Coach Matt McMahon. MSU is seeking their fifth win in the NCAA Tournament after they defeated Marquette in 2019. The Racers are 4-17 all-time in the NCAA's and have never been to the Sweet 16.
- Picked to finish third as a team in the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll, the Racers proved many to be wrong by running the table to win their 28th conference title, specifically as the first undefeated team to do it in an 18-game schedule. MSU is just the third team in school history to win 30 games and the second team in 41 seasons to spend consecutive weeks ranked in the top 25.
- Ranking amongst the most efficient in the nation on offense and defense, the Racers are led by a trio of All-OVC players including KJ Williams, who won the OVC's Player of the Year award. Additionally, Tevin Brown became the OVC's career three-point king this season while Justice Hill is one of the most improved players in the country. Hill was the OVC Tournament MVP last week as the Racers defeated Southeast Missouri and Morehead State to make it to the Big Dance.
- MSU is the first team in Ohio Valley Conference history to go undefeated in the regular season and postseason tournament. The OVC did have three teams undefeated- the first three times it happened there was no postseason OVC Tournament. The last two times it has happened, the undefeated team lost in the tournament title game. There were three instances (1950, 1966, 1970) when WKU was undefeated in league play, but there was no tournament held.
SERIES HISTORY:
- Thursday's meeting between USF and Murray State will be just the second matchup all-time between the two pro- grams. Previously, the Dons and Racers squared off on Nov. 25, 2011 at the Great Alaska Shootout, where Murray State narrowly edged USF, 70-67.
TOURNAMENT MEDIA AVAILABILITY:
TRACK THE ACTION:
Thursday's contest will air live on CBS and on KNBR 1050 at 6:40 pm PT / 9:40 pm ET. Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel will have the call on CBS while
Pat Olson and Jim Brovelli will air on KNBR 1050 from Indianapolis. Live streaming, radio and live statistics are available above and via the
team's schedule page.
MERCHANDISE:
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.
