SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Continuing conference play in the new calendar year, the University of San Francisco men's basketball team (11-6, 0-2 WCC) will welcome No. 9/10 Gonzaga (12-3, 1-0 WCC) to the Hilltop for a nationally-televised matchup on Thursday night at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center before the Dons head south for a meeting with Loyola Marymount (11-5, 1-1 WCC) at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday night. 

On Thursday, USF is set to celebrate Bill Russell Night as the university will honor the legacy of the eleven-time NBA champion with tributes throughout the evening.
 
GAME 18 DETAILS:
Date: Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023
Time: 8:00 pm PT
Opponent: No. 9/10 Gonzaga (12-3, 1-0 WCC)
Site: War Memorial at the Sobrato Center
Location: San Francisco, Calif.
Watch: ESPN 2
Listen: KNBR 1050
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Tickets: Purchase Here
 
GAME 19 DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023
Time: 7:00 pm PT
Opponent: Loyola Marymount (11-5, 1-1 WCC)
Site: Gersten Pavilion
Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
Watch: WCC Network
Listen: KNBR 1050
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
 
DONS AT A GLANCE:

• Last time out, USF fell to San Diego on New Year's Eve at home as the Toreros topped the Dons 80-68. Going over 20 points for the sixth time this year and the second straight game, Khalil Shabazz finished with a team-high 21 points to go along with eight rebounds and one assist in 35 minutes played. Doing his part down low, Zane Meeks tallied 12 points and eight rebounds, including four offensive boards, in addition to one assist in 23 minutes total.
• Within the conference, Shabazz is second in steals per game (2.2), total minutes (591) and minutes per game (34.8) while also ranking third in free-throw percentage (85.9), fifth in assists (60) and total points (264) and sixth in points per game (15.5).
• Behind-the-arc, Shabazz is now solely in second place all-time in program history with 243 made threes in his career on the Hilltop. As of Jan. 4, he is just nine made threes away from becoming USF's all-time leader.   
• On the glass, Meeks heads into the week fifth in the WCC with 40 total offensive rebounds on the campaign.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS:

• In their last time on the hardwood, Gonzaga downed Pepperdine, 111-888, to open conference play on Dec. 31 in Spokane. Notably, Wooden Award Midseason Watch List nominee Drew Timme scored a season-high 35 points to go along with ten rebounds and five assists. For this performance, the forward earned his third WCC Player of the Week honor in four weeks this Monday.
• As a team, GU leads the country in field goal percentage at 52.6 percent as the Bulldogs are also fifth in Division I with an average of 86.9 points per game. Overall, Timme's 22.7 points per game is also good for fourth in the country. 
• Impressively, Gonzaga has appeared in the AP Poll for 123 consecutive weeks, marking the longest streak in the nation by a span of 58 weeks (Baylor is second at 65).  

SCOUTING THE LIONS:

• Last time, LMU split their first two contests of WCC play as the Lions handled Portland, 92-72, on the road on Dec. 29 before falling at Pacific, 78-72, on Dec. 31.
• Offensively, Loyola Marymount is led by Cam Shelton (183 ppg), Keli Leaupepe (14.1 ppg) and Jalin Anderson (10.4 ppg). Overall, the Lions are averaging 76.9 points per game while shooting 45.5 percent from two and 35.2 from distance as a team. 
• Entering his third year as head coach at LMU, Stan Johnson is aiming to get back to the top of the WCC with the Lions as Loyola Marymount finished in the top three of the conference standings in 2020-21 despite finishing ninth last season. 

SERIES HISTORY:

• Thursday's meeting between the Dons and the Bulldogs will mark the 91^st matchup all-time between the two programs. Overall, Gonzaga holds a 68-22 lead over the Dons in the all-time series, including 24 straight victories. Notably, USF's last win over GU came in a 66-65 thriller in San Francisco on Feb. 18, 2012.
• Saturday's meeting between the Dons and the Lions will mark the 153^rd matchup all-time between the two programs. Overall, the Dons and Lions have squared off for the second-most games in program history as San Francisco has only faced one other opponent more throughout their time in Division I- Santa Clara (162). Last year, USF cruised past LMU, 97-73, at home on the Hilltop on Jan. 13 in their lone matchup of the 2021-22 season. 

TRACK THE ACTION:
Thursday's contest will air live on ESPN 2 and KNBR 1050 at game time. Saturday's contest will air live on the WCC Network and KNBR 1050 at game time. Live statistics for both games are available via Statbroadcast. Tickets to Thursday's home game can be purchased here. All links are also available above and via the team's schedule page.
 
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.
 
MERCHANDISE:
Want to dress like the Dons? Rep USF today by visiting the all-new USF Dons online store at www.usfdons.com/shop.
 
SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our primary sponsor - Provident Credit Union - for their continued support of USF Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please contact Frank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, at fallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561.