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USF Men's Basketball - Saint Mary's Game Advance
Feb. 6, 2010
By Stacy Hicklin
USF Beat Writer
SAN FRANCISCO -- If the University of San Francisco men's basketball team wants to put together its first three-game West Coast Conference win streak in two years, it must take down a skilled, sharp-shooting rival.
USF (9-14, 4-4) travels to Saint Mary's (20-3, 7-1) for an 8 p.m. tip-off on Saturday, Feb. 6 at McKeon Pavilion. The game will be televised on Comcast SportsNet California.
Saint Mary's is receiving votes in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today Top 25 polls.
Statistically, the program is one of the best in the country in a number of categories. The Gaels are sixth in the nation in field goal percentage, shooting 49.6 percent, and rank 11th in scoring average with 81.7 points a game.
It's not just the team that ranks among the best in the country. Not only does senior center Omar Samhan lead in the WCC in scoring and rebounding, but his 21.6 points and 11.2 rebounds a game are good enough for 13th and 6th in the nation, respectively. He also turns in 2.8 blocks a game, good for 12th in the country.
The Gaels have been on a hot streak, winning 10 of their past 11 contests. Saint Mary's only losses have come via two points to Vanderbilt, seven points to Gonzaga and 11 points to USC. The team has a +23.2 scoring margin advantage at home.
Saint Mary's beat USF 83-62 to open the WCC schedule in early January. The Gaels had five players in double-digit scoring and shot 55 percent to the Dons' 35.6 percent. Saint Mary's never trailed the entire contest and built a 24-point lead by halftime.
It was Saint Mary's eight consecutive win against USF.
The Gaels kept the Dons' leading scorer Dior Lowhorn scoreless in the first half and limited him to just seven points in the second half. If Lowhorn scores three points against the Gaels, he'll pass Naismith Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell to become seventh on USF's all-time scoring list.
SAINT MARY'S PROBABLE STARTERS (As of 2/5/10)
G. #4 Matthew Dellavedova, 6-4. Fr. (12.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.7 apg)
G. #32 Mickey McConnell, 6-0, Jr. (13.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 5.5 apg)
C. #50 Omar Samhan, 6-11, Sr. (21.6 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 2.8 bpg)
F. #11 Clint Steindl, 6-7, So. (7.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.2 apg)
F. #21 Ben Allen, 6-11, Sr. (10.9 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.1 apg)
LAST THREE MEETINGS: SMC 83, at USF 62 (1/8/10); at SMC 79, USF 58 (2/5/09); SMC 66 at USF 54 (1/11/09)
SERIES RECORD/STREAK: USF leads 103-64/SMC won 8
ON THE AIR/ON THE WEB:
Television: Comcast SportsNet California
Comcast Talent: Jim Kozimor & Eric Musselman
Radio Broadcast: Green 960 - Pat Olson & Jim Brovelli
Internet Audio: Yes - USFDons.com (Yahoo Broadcast)
GameTracker: Yes
Official Website: SMCGaels.com
UP NEXT FOR THE DONS: After tackling Bay Area nemesis Saint Mary's USF returns home for its fi nal homestand, beginning Thursday, February 11 against Pepperdine. Game time against the Waves is set for 7:00 PM at War Memorial Gym and will be carried live on the fl agship station of Dons Basketball, Green 960.
