WCC Tournament Team Preview: San Francisco
By Mary Harvill
#8 San Franciso Dons
Record: 13-17, 7-11
Postseason Prediction: None
WCC Tournament – First Round:
- Friday, March 6, 2015
- Time: 2:00 PM Pacific
- Opponent: #9 Pacific (12-18, 4-14)
Stats Leaders:
- Points: Kruize Pinkins (14.2 PPG)
- Rebounds: Kruize Pinkins/Mark Tollefsen/Matt Glover (5.4 RPG)
- Assists: Matt Glover (3.2 APG)
Trending
The last five games have been a mixed bag for San Francisco. Exciting for some, definitely a headache for Head Coach Rex Walters. Like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get when the Dons take the floor. San Francisco beat Pacific in both regular season meetings. The first game by just 6 points, the second by 10 points after it was close most of the game. So the Dons should win their first round matchup as well. The team should be able to get psyched up for this game and play well.
The fly in the ointment is that the winner of the game between San Francisco and Pacific will face Gonzaga in the quarterfinals on Saturday evening. The Dons played Gonzaga close in the last meeting in San Francisco. No team is going to have any chance of beating the Zags after their loss to BYU. Even the Cougars themselves are not a lock to beat the Zags if they meet again in the championship game. Coach Few’s team will not be sleeping until this WCC Championship is definitively in the bag.
How The Dons Can Win it All
Fly the Golden State Warriors team to Las Vegas and ask them to wear USF jerseys and hope nobody notices, least of all Coach Walters.
For the Dons to win it all, they would have to be outstanding at both defense and with the three point shot. Hitting at least 75% of their free throws would help substantially too. USF’s free throw completion rate has been a thorn in their side all season long. The key pieces are in place for this team to go deeper than the projections, three solid scorers in Mark Tollefsen, Tim Derksen and Kruize Pinkins, great ball distribution from Devin Watson, the freshman point guard, superb bench support from Matt Glover in rebounds and making things happen; aggressive inside play from Matt Christiansen and a surprise 3 from time to time from Chris Adams.
Predicted Finish
The Dons will do enough to get past Pacific, but they will easily get knocked out of the tournament by Gonzaga in the quarterfinals.