Game Highlights and Post-Game Comments

SAN FRANCISCO – There were plenty of lessons to be learned for USF playing against the fifth-ranked team in the nation and Gonzaga was more than willing play the role of headmaster as the Zags rolled to their 15th consecutive win Thursday night at the Sobrato Center.
 
The Zags looked every bit of a team that has national championship aspirations in handing the Dons a 95-80 setback on the Hilltop. Nigel Goss-Williams scored a game-high 36 points while Jordan Mathews, son of former USF head coach Phil Mathews, finished with 16. Killian Tillie (12) and Przernek Karnowski were also in double figures for the Zags which remained undefeated on the season at 15-0 (3-0 WCC).
 
USF freshman Jordan Ratinho scored a career high 20 points while Nate Renfro and Ronnie Boyce each added 13 for the Dons (11-5, 1-2 WCC).
 
Gonzaga used their dominant size and strength to shoot 61 percent from the field while USF was a respectable 46.9 percent from the floor. The Dons had no answer for Goss-Williams, however, as the senior made 12-of-15 shots from the floor, including 3-of-4 from long distance, and made all nine of his free throws for a career-high 36 points. He also grabbed 11 rebounds for a double-double.
 
Gonzaga led by as many as 18 points in the first half at 41-23 after Mathews drained a three-pointer. The Dons outscored the Zags, 13-5 over the last four minutes, capped off by a Ratinho three-pointer just before the horn, to trim the lead to 46-36 at the break. Ratinho made 8-of-12 shots from the field, including three, 3-pointers in his first game against a ranked opponent.
 

Any momentum the Dons gained was quickly squelched by the Zags on their first two possessions of the second half. A quick jumper by Williams-Goss followed by a three-pointer by Mathews gave Gonzaga a 15-point lead less than a minute into the second frame at 51-36.
 
The Dons managed to get back to within 10 points at 55-45 following a Boyce layup, but could get no closer as the Zags extended their winning streak to 15 games to open the season.
 
"They're undefeated for a reason," said USF head coach Kyle Smith after the game. "They flexed their muscle a little bit with their transition offense and ability to get the ball inside, whether it was off the drive or in the post. I'm sure there were some jitters involved but we need to play much better to be able to compete against those guys."
 
The Dons, which came into the game ranked 20th nationally in three-point percentage, continue to slump from beyond the arc, where they were just 7-of-29 tonight.
 
"Offensively, we got some good looks but just didn't shoot it very well," said Smith. "It felt like we got some decent chances but they give you problems with their size and length. To their credit, they outhustled us on our home floor.
 
USF will have 48 hours to get ready for its second consecutive challenge from a top-25 team when the 19th-ranked Saint Mary's Gaels makes it annual visit to the Hilltop on Saturday night. Tip-off is set for 8:00 p.m. and the game will be televised live on CSNBA and broadcast on 95.7 FM The GAME.

Tickets remain for USF's game against Saint Mary's on Saturday, along with all other WCC home games, on-line at USFDons.com/tickets or by calling (415) 422-2USF (2873).