SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Prepped for its first nationally televised contest of the season, the University of San Francisco men's basketball team (4-0) will return to the home of the seven-time NBA champion Golden State Warriors on Thursday night as the Dons are set to face off against Memphis (3-0) in a neutral site game at Chase Center.
 
Thursday night's contest will air live on ESPNU as the contest will mark the first of eight nationally televised games for San Francisco in the 2024-25 campaign.
 
GAME 5 DETAILS:
Opponent: Memphis (3-0)
Date: Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: San Francisco, Calif. / Chase Center
Watch: ESPNU (Barry Tompkins + Dan Belluomini)
Listen: KNBR 1050 (Pat Olson + Jim Brovelli)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tickets: General Admission | Student Tickets
 
DONS AT A GLANCE:

• San Francisco swept a four-game homestand to begin the 2024-25 campaign, most recently routing Chicago State in an 82-37 victory on Saturday, Nov 16. Putting up the best performance of his young career, Tyrone Riley IV poured in 28 points on 9-of-13 shooting and 5-of-6 from downtown, scoring 20 of his 28 points in the first half.
• Continuing to make a case as one of the nation's best freshmen, Riley IV ranks fourth among Division I freshmen in points per game (19.5) and 14th in field goal percentage (64.4).
• Stellar defensively to start the season, Malik Thomas has totaled 11 steals through the first four games of the season, being one of 62 players across Division I with at least 11 steals this year. Thomas is also averaging 15.8 points per contest, good for the 11th-most in the WCC.
• USF boasts four double-digit scorers in Riley IV, Thomas, Marcus Williams (13.5 ppg) and Ndewedo Newbury (10.0 ppg). Sharp from distance, Williams and Newbury have combined for 15 made threes on 27 attempts (55.6 percent) this season.
• As a unit, the Dons rank in the top 50 across Division I in opponent points per game (30th, 60.5), scoring margin (31st, 23), opponent field goal percentage (33rd, 35.6), turnovers forced per game (T-35th, 17.0) and field goal percentage (44th, 50.64).
• Thursday night's contest will mark the sixth time that the Dons will play at Chase Center as the green and gold hold a 3-2 record when playing on the floor of the Golden State Warriors. Following the game against Memphis, USF will host Gonzaga at Chase Center for a second consecutive season as the Dons will welcome the Bulldogs in the final game of WCC action on Mar. 1, 2025.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS:

• Someone's '0' has got to go on Thursday night as Memphis has also been perfect to begin its 2024-25 campaign, most recently beating Ohio on Friday, Nov. 12 in a 94-70 victory.
• In his seventh season as the Tigers' head coach, former NBA All-Star Penny Hardaway looks to bring Memphis to the NCAA Tournament for the third time under his leadership as Memphis narrowly missed an appearance in the big dance last season following a 22-10 (11-7 AAC) record.
• In October, Memphis was picked to finish second in the AAC Preseason Poll, falling just five points behind defending AAC Tournament champion UAB. Guards PJ Haggerty and Tyrese Hunter were selected to the AAC Preseason All-Conference First Team and guard Jared Harris was tabbed as AAC Preseason Freshman of the Year.
• One of the top scorers in the nation, Haggerty is averaging 25.7 points per game in the young season, the sixth-highest scoring average in the nation, on efficient 54.5/45.5/85.7 splits. The redshirt sophomore's eight made free throws per contest is tied for the fourth-most in across Division I.
• Hunter has also lived up to his All-AAC Preseason First Team selection early on with 14.7 points per game and a team-high eight made threes on the season.
• Following the bout against San Francisco, Memphis will head to Hawai'i to participate in the annual Maui Invitational as the Tigers are slated to begin their tournament against defending National Champion UConn on Monday.

SERIES HISTORY:
San Francisco and Memphis will meet for just the third time in program history at Chase Center on Thursday night as the Dons will seek their first-ever win against the Tigers, who are 2-0 all-time against the green and gold. Previously, Memphis defeated USF 94-82 at home on Nov. 19, 1994 in the last matchup between the two programs. Notably, Memphis also took down the Dons, 82-77, in a neutral site matchup on Dec. 17, 1971.
 
FOLLOW US:
For updates and more information on the San Francisco men's basketball program, follow the Dons @USFDonsMBB on Twitter, @USFDonsMBB on Instagram and @USFDonsMBB on Facebook.
 
MERCHANDISE:
Want to dress like the Dons? Get your official San Francisco Dons gear from the University of San Francisco bookstore today! Click here to purchase.

SPONSOR US:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our sponsor - Coca-Cola - for their continued support of San Francisco 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.