SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -The University of San Francisco men's basketball team (1-0) used a balanced team effort in its season opener on Monday night as the Dons defeated UC Santa Cruz (0-0), 98-53, at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.

The Dons had three players score in double figures, led by Legend Smiley with 18 points. Mookie Cook finished one rebound shy of a double-double, adding 12 points, nine rebounds, and three steals off the bench. Veniamin Abosi enjoyed a career night with 11 points and two steals off the bench.

San Francisco's defense held UC Santa Cruz to only 33.9 percent shooting from the field, including 29.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Dons also limited Joe Espy, the team's leading scorer last season, to 2-of-12 shooting and four points in the game.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

• After jumping out to a 31-12 advantage, San Francisco went on a 14-0 run with 6:00 left in the first half to increase its lead to 45-12. The Dons then added three points to that lead by the end of the period and entered halftime with a 51-15 advantage. San Francisco did most of its first-half damage in the paint, scoring 26 of its 51 points close to the basket.
• Following intermission, San Francisco kept widening that lead, expanding it to 73-35 before going on an 11-0 run, finished off by Cook's layup, to grow the lead to 84-35 with 8:02 to go in the contest. The Banana Slugs narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Dons still cruised the rest of the way for the 98-53 win. San Francisco got a boost from its bench in the second half, as non-starters accounted for 37 of its 47 total points in the period.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

• San Francisco never trailed on the way to a 98-53 victory. The Dons held the Banana Slugs to only 33.9 percent shooting from the field.
• The USF bench came alive by adding 67 points to its scoring output, led by Legend Smiley and Mookie Cook with 18 and 12 points, respectively.
• San Francisco had a 49-22 edge on the boards in the win, including a game-high nine rebounds from Cook. The Dons cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 14 offensive boards in the game.
• USF tallied 25 total assists in the game and forced 19 turnovers.
• San Francisco was active in affecting shots on the defensive end, tallying five blocks as a team.

POSTGAME WITH THE DONS:

• To view the full highlights of tonight's contest, please click here.
• To view the full postgame interview with head coach Chris Gerlufsen, please click here.
• To view the full postgame interview with Tyrone Riley IV and Legend Smiley, please click here.

UP NEXT:
San Francisco will hit the road for the first time this season as the Dons will travel east for a battle at Memphis this Saturday, Nov. 8. Tipoff from FedEx Forum is scheduled for 12:00 pm PT/2:00 PM CT. Live streaming, live radio, and live statistics links are available via the team's schedule page.
 
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 - Provident Credit Union - 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.

*This article was created using technology provided by Data Skrive*