Dons Rally for Dramatic First Road Victory!

STOCKTON, Calif. – Marking another victory, the University of San Francisco men’s basketball squad (13-3, 3-0 WCC) secured its initial road win of the season on Thursday evening as the Dons executed effectively in the latter stages to overcome Pacific (5-12, 0-3 WCC), 89-81, at Alex G. Spanos Center.
 
IF YOU MISSED IT:

• Transforming defense into offense to kick things off, Malik Thomas induced a Tiger turnover just 18 seconds into the action as the guard seized his first steal of the evening before sprinting down the court and laying in the initial two points of the match.
• Providing assistance off the bench early on, Veniamin Abosi sank a jumper at 15:22 to maintain the Dons in front, 10-3. Less than three minutes afterward, Tyrone Riley IV drained his first three-pointer of the contest to extend it to 15-9 in favor of the green and gold.
• Responding moments later, Pacific unleashed a 9-0 run capped off by a layup from Elijah Fisher to take their first lead of the evening, 17-15, at 9:26.
• Exchanging baskets as the half progressed, Thomas regained control for San Francisco, 19-17, with a pair of free throws at 7:20, but the Tigers answered again with an 8-2 burst to retake charge, 25-21, with 4:58 remaining in the first half.
• Narrowing the gap, Abosi struck once more at 2:40 as the freshman buried a three-pointer from the wing to even things at 29 all. With 1:21 left in the half, Thomas finished a three-point play to put San Francisco ahead, 34-33. Nevertheless, Jefferson Koulilbaly nailed a jumper with 30 seconds remaining to allow Pacific to secure a one-point edge, 35-34, at halftime.
• Starting the second half with a hot hand, the Dons embarked on a 9-1 run to reclaim their lead as Carlton Linguard Jr. registered his own three-point play to widen the gap to eight points, 43-35.
• Staying close, Pacific cut their deficit to a single point twice in the following moments – once at 13:34 and once at 13:06. Near the midway point, Junjie Wang seized his chance as the forward netted a three-pointer at 9:35 to maintain San Francisco’s lead, 59-55.
• Matching each other shot for shot as the game wound down, Pacific dug deep and claimed back-to-back baskets to hold a three-point advantage, 73-70, with 3:56 left in regulation.
• Unfazed, Linguard Jr. and Tyrone Riley IV then connected on consecutive three-pointers for the green and gold to help them regain the lead, 79-75, with 2:11 left.
• Demonstrating the composure of a leader, Marcus Williams rose to the occasion and sank all eight of his free throws in the final 1:09 to assist the Dons in sealing the victory. Fending off late attempts from the Tigers, San Francisco ultimately triumphed over Pacific, 89-81, on Thursday night.

KEY PERFORMANCES:

• Leading his squad from the point guard role, Williams was recognized as Player of the Game after concluding with 22 points, seven assists, three steals, and two rebounds in 36 minutes of play. Overall, the Dickinson, Texas native shot 5-of-13 from the floor, 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and a flawless 8-of-8 from the foul line.
• Teaming up with Williams in the backcourt, Thomas contributed a game-high 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, paired with four rebounds and two steals. The second-year Don also excelled at the charity stripe, going 6-of-7.
• Contributing significantly, Linguard Jr. and Riley IV each secured 13 points, having shot a combined 9-of-14 overall.
• As a unit, San Francisco outperformed Pacific in points off turnovers (18-13) and bench points (11-2) while limiting the Tigers to just five total assists.

POSTGAME WITH THE DONS:

UP NEXT:
San Francisco will travel north to Pullman as the Dons are slated to conclude their road trip at Washington State this Saturday, Jan. 4. The tipoff at Beasley Coliseum is set for 4:00 pm PT with Pat Olson providing live commentary on KNBR 1050 at game time. Live streaming, radio, and live statistics links can be found via the team’s schedule page.
 
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MERCHANDISE:
Want to dress like the Dons? Acquire your official San Francisco Dons apparel from the University of San Francisco bookstore today! Click here to make a purchase.
 
SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department wishes to express gratitude to our sponsor – Coca-Cola – for their ongoing support of San Francisco Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please reach out to Frank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, at fallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561.