Nov. 11, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

2008 VERIZON WIRELESS TIP-OFF CLASSIC PREVIEW: San Francisco opens the 2008-09 regular season in Hawaii where it competes in the 2008 Verizon Wireless Tip-off Classic, hosted by the University of Hawaii. The Dons officially open the Rex Walters era Friday, November 14 against the host Rainbow Warriors at the Stan Sheriff Center. USF then takes on Texas State Sunday to complete tournament play. This is the second consecutive season the Dons have opened the regular season in a tournament. Last year San Francisco participated in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic, benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer. The Dons dropped a 71-55 decision to Oklahoma (11/18/07) before bouncing back for a 87-70 triumph against East Central (11/9/07).

USF IN SEASON OPENERS: Since 1985-86, San Francisco owns a 12-11 record in season openers. The Dons have lost three of their last four lid-lifters, including a 71-55 setback at Oklahoma (11/18/07) to kick off the 2007-08 season. USF's last win in a season debut came in 2006-07 when it dispatched Sonoma State 87-77 (11/11/06). Before breaking through for a 73-62 victory against Tennessee-Martin in the 2003 Guardian's Classic, USF had dropped four consecutive season debuts. The Dons most lopsided win came in the 1986-87 kickoff - a 64-19 pasting of St. Thomas (Minnesota).

Rex Walters MAKES GREEN AND GOLD DEBUT IN HAWAII: New USF head coach Rex Walters makes his official debut on the sidelines Friday in the 2008-09 regular season opener against Hawaii in the 2008 Verizon Wireless Tip-off Classic. Since 1946-47, 12 USF head coaches have made their season debuts and have posted a combined 6-6 record. The last Dons boss to post a victory in his inaugural game was Jim Brovelli in a 80-60 win against St. Mary's (MN) to kick of the 1985-86 campaign. USF Legend of the Hilltop Pete Peletta opened his coaching career with a 68-58 victory against Hawaii (11/30/60) and suffered his first loss the next night against the Rainbow Warriors 63-61.

USF IN HAWAII BULLETS:
- USF makes its second tournament trip to Hawaii in three seasons. The Dons competed in the 2006 Rainbow Classic.
- USF owns an 8-4 record against the Rainbow Warriors; 4-4 in the 50th state.
- USF played Hawaii four times in the 1960-61 campaign, posting a 3-1 record.
- USF won the 1976 Rainbow Classic and vaulted to a No. 1 National ranking in the AP Poll. Bill Cartwright, James Hardy, Marlon Redmond - All-Tourney

USF DONS BASKETBALL ON GREEN 960 AM: USF men's basketball returns to the airwaves and cyberspace for the 2008-2009 season and all games will be available live at USFDons.com, with the bulk of the schedule available on Green 960 AM. Join Pat Olson for the play-by-play in his 18th year behind the microphone courtside. USF Hall-of-Famer Jim Brovelli will join Olson on selected broadcasts. Other features available on USFDons.com include live scoring via GameTracker, courtesy of CBS Sports and live streaming video of all non-televised home games courtesy of Yahoo Broadcast.

YAHOO ONLY BROADCASTS (NOT CARRIED ON GREEN 960): Six 2008-09 regular season games will not be carried on Green 960 and will be available on the internet via Yahoo Broadcast on USFDons.com: USF at Hawaii (11/14), USF vs. Texas State (11/16), USF vs. Academy of Art (11/21), USF at Holy Cross (11/27), USF at Boston College (11/29) & USF vs. Cal State East Bay (1/3).

PAT OLSON CLOSING IN ON CAREER BROADCAST NO. 500: Veteran USF play-by-play man Pat Olson is approaching a milestone broadcast this season. Now in his 18th year calling Dons basketball, Olson will call his 500th game for San Francisco when USF hosts UC Santa Barbara Monday, November 24 at War Memorial Gym.

SCOUTING HAWAII - GAME ONE: The Rainbow Warriors enter the 2008-09 season looking to regroup after a rugged 2007-08 campaign. Hawaii posted a 11-19 record last year, including a 7-9 WAC mark, good for fifth place and return just five letter-winners and one starter. Junior forward Bill Amis is the top returning scorer for the Rainbows, averaging 8.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. For the first time in program history, Hawaii's roster not only does not include a single senior, no Rainbow Warrior owns more than one season of Division I experience. Hawaii has seven juniors, two sophomores, four redshirt freshmen and a pair of true freshmen. Junior College All-American Roderick Flemings headlines the new crop. Former UH star Bob Nash enters his second season at the helm of his alma mater and owns an 11-19 record in his first Division I head coaching assignment.

HAWAII IN 2008-09 EXHIBITIONS: The Rainbow Warriors held on for a 72-70 victory against Hawaii-Hilo (11/2) before pounding Chaminade 80-63 (11/7).

TEAM COMPARISONS - 2007-08 SEASON - Final:

Team	PPG	Margin	FG%	3-FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	TOPG	SPG	BPG
USF	66.7	-5.2	.440	.332	.707	32.0	12.3	15.4	6.1	2.8
Hawaii	70.4	-2.9	.440	.332	.741	30.5	15.0	14.0	8.1	3.1

HAWAII PROBABLE STARTERS (As of 11/11/08)
G, #0, Kareem Nitoto, 185, 6-2, So. (2.9 ppg, 1.0 apg)
G, #5, Lasha Parghalava, 195, 6-2, Jr. (11.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg)*
F, #24 Adhar Mayen, 195, 6-8, Jr. (2.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg)
F, #41 Bill Amis, 220, 6-9, Jr., (8.5ppg , 4.6 rpg)
C, #1 Petras Balocka, 250, 6-8, Jr. (13.7 ppg, 11.3 rpg)*
*JC Stats

LAST FOUR MEETINGS: at Hawaii 89, USF 85 (2/11/04); at Hawaii 75, USF 46 (12/27/89); at USF 76, Hawaii 72 (12/20/88); USF 98, at Hawaii 95 (12/6/80)

SERIES RECORD/STREAK: USF leads 8-4/Hawaii won two

ON THE AIR/ON THE WEB:
Radio Broadcast: None Television: KFVE-TV
Internet Audio: Yes - USFDons.com (Yahoo Broadcast)
Live State: Yes
Hawaii Official Website: HawaiiAthletics.com

SCOUTING TEXAS STATE - GAME TWO: The Bobcats embark on the 2008-09 season after posting a 13-16 overall record and a 6-0 Southland Conference mark, good for a share of ninth place in the standings. Nine letter-winners and four starters return for Texas State, headlined by senior guard Brandon Bush, who averaged 14.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Sophomore center Ty Gough added 6.4 points and 5.4 rebounds, while senior guard Corey Jefferson chipped in with 6.3 points and 2.4 rebounds per contest as Texas State averaged an impressive 83,6 points per game a year ago. Doug Davalos enters his third season as top Bobcat and owns a 22-36 overall record in San Marcos and is 94-71 in six career seasons.

TEXAS STATE IN 2008-09 EXHIBITIONS: The Bobcats have not played an exhibition game, but do so later in the non-conference schedule.

TEAM COMPARISONS - 2007-08 SEASON - Final:

Team	PPG	Margin	FG%	3-FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	TOPG	SPG	BPG
USF	66.7	-5.2	.440	.332	.707	32.0	12.3	15.4	6.1	2.8
TX St.	83.6	-1.2	.416	.358	.651	42.2	15.6	18.1	9.1	1.8

LAST FOUR MEETINGS: First Meeting

SERIES RECORD/STREAK: First Meeting

BEFORE USF: Texas State vs. Cal State Fullerton, Friday, November 14, 2008 - Verizon Wireless Tip-off Classic

ON THE AIR/ON THE WEB:
Radio Broadcast: None Television: None
Internet Audio: Yes - USFDons.com (Yahoo Broadcast)
Live State: Yes
Texas State Official Website: TxStateBobcats.com

Dior Lowhorn - 2008 WCC FIRST TEAM AND LEAGUE SCORING LEADER: After sitting out the entire 2006-07 season under NCAA transfer rules, junior forward Dior Lowhorn made up for lost time in his first season in the Green and Gold. The Texas Tech transfer and Bay Area native turned in a prolific sophomore campaign for the Dons and led the West Coast Conference in scoring in overall (20.5) and WCC (20.5) contests - the first USF player to pace the league in scoring in both categories since John Cox accomplished the feat in 2004-05 (20.0/19.9). Lowhorn scored 636 points last season, good for fourth place on the Dons single-season scoring charts. A 2008 Mid-Major All-American and a All-WCC First Team pick - the first USF underclassmen tabbed since Gerald Walker in 1995 - Lowhorn scored at least 20 points in 18 games, including a career-high 29 at No. 12 Oregon (11/24/07). Lowhorn led the Dons with five double-double nights last season and scored 19 points six times and was the only USF player to reach double-digit scoring in every game. Lowhorn was named to the 2008-09 WCC Preseason Team, as selected by the league's head coaches.

Dior Lowhorn AMONG NATIONAL SCORING LEADERS: Junior forward Dior Lowhorn ranked No. 27 among 2007-80 NCAA Division I scoring leaders at 20.5 points per game, in the final Division I stats released in March of 2008. Lowhorn is the first Don to crack the top-30 on the NCAA scoring list since John Cox (1999-05) accomplished the feat as a senior.

Manny Quezada CLIMBING THE USF SCORING CHARTS: Senior guard Manny Quezada was named one of six West Coast Conference "Players to Watch" by the league coaches in 2007-08. Quezada enjoyed a solid second season on the Hilltop, averaging 13.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. For his efforts, Quezada earned 2008 WCC Honorable Mention selection. The New York native ranked third among WCC assists leaders (4.6), was fourth in turnover to assist ratio (1.57) during league games. Quezada notched his second career 30-point game with a 30-point outburst at No. 12 Oregon (11/24/07) and turned in his first double-double at Pepperdine (2/2/08) with 11 points and a career-high 12 assists. Quezada enters the season ranked 38th on the Dons career scoring chart with 838 career points and needs 162 to become the 29th USF player to reach 1,000 in the Green and Gold.

DONS TWO-HEADED MONSTER: USF relied heavily on the one-two punch of sophomore forward Dior Lowhorn and junior guard Manny Quezada last season and figure to count on them once again in 2008-09. Last year the duo combined for 39 of San Francisco's 55 points in a 71-55 loss at Oklahoma (11/9/07), accounting for a remarkable .701 of the team's offensive output. The pair combined for a season-high 59 points at No. 12 Oregon (11/24/07). In 31 games of the 2007-08 campaign, Lowhorn and Quezada accounted for 34.4 points per game - .515 of the Dons total offense.

EXHIBITION LEFTOVERS:
- USF shot a respectable .532 (50-94) from the floor, including a .606 (26-43) against Chico State (11/1/08)
- USF dominated on the boards, averaging 36.5 caroms per game and limited opponents to 27.5
- Three Dons averaged at least 10 points per game during exhibition play, led by junior forwards Dior Lowhorn (23.0) & Blake Wallace (11.5) and senior guard Manny Quezada (10.0)
- USF's defense forced Chico State into 20 turnovers (11/1/08)
- Junior forward Dior Lowhorn scored 22 points on 9-of-13 from the field with 10 rebounds against Fresno Pacific (11/7/08)
- USF connected on six 3-pointers in each exhibition game, led by four from junior forward Blake Wallace and three from senior guard Manny Quezada

A LOOK AHEAD: After San Francisco closes out play in the 2008 Verizon Tip-off Classic Sunday against Texas State, USF returns to the mainland for a road contest at longtime Bay Area rival California Tuesday, November 18 at Haas Pavilion. It marks the first meeting between the two teams since 2002-03, a 77-70 overtime win for the Golden Bears December 30, 2002. USF's last win in the series came in a 80-73 triumph in Berkeley December 3, 1991.

USF NEWCOMERS READY FOR BATTLE: USF under first year head coach Rex Walters welcome no fewer than seven newcomers to the Hilltop for the 2008-09 season. A pair of junior college transfers - junior guard Dontae Bryant (Portland, OR) and junior forward Blake Wallace (Irvine, CA) - combine with five prep standouts - Angelo Caloiaro (San Jose, CA), Chris O'Brien (Irvine, CA), Clint Pekarsky (Granite Bay, CA), Peter Smith (Escondido, CA) and Kwame Vaughn (Oakland, CA).

USF NEWCOMER BULLETS
- Freshman guard Peter Smith is the son of former USF All-American and NBA All-Star, the late Phil Smith
- Junior forward Blake Wallace spent the 2006-07 season at WCC rival Pepperdine, averaging 4.7 ppg and 2.1 rpg
- Junior guard Dontae Bryant ranked No. 7 among NJCAA leaders in assists (7.9)
- Freshman forward Angelo Caloiaro grew six inches after his juior prep season

Hyman Taylor REBOUNDS: Junior center Hyman Taylor showed signs of developing into a force on the low block for USF last season and appears poised for more success in 2008-09. The Florida native made big strides in the paint for the Dons during the West Coast Conference season, averaging 3.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game. Taylor ripped down a career-high 12 boards at Utah Valley State (12/31/07) - the most by a Don last season. Taylor posted his first career double-double with a career-high 11 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks against Santa Clara (1/28/08).

Christian Hernandez READY FOR AN ENCORE: Junior guard Christian Hernandez made some big contributions for USF last season and figures prominently in the back court mix once again in 2008-09. The former walk-on averaged 12.8 minutes in 31 games and scored a career-high with nine points and a pair of assists in 23 minutes against Weber State (12/8/07).

2007-08 SEASON NOTES
USF LEAGUE LEADERS AT THE CHARITY STRIPE: USF concluded the 2008 West Coast Conference campaign first in free throw accuracy, connecting at a .736 (178-242) clip during league contests, .024 points in front of Santa Clara at .712 (166-233). The Dons converted on .707 (390-552) on the year, good for third place in overall games. USF has led the league in free throw accuracy during WCC contests eight times, the last coming in 2003 when the Dons connected on .744 (183-246) from the foul line.

USF NOTCHES THREE 50-POINT HALVES IN 2007-08: Although USF experienced its share of offensive woes, the Dons recorded three 50-plus point outbursts in a single half during the 2007-08 season. San Francisco scored 50 points in the first half against Sacramento State (11/17/07) and then posted a 55-point barrage in the second half at Pepperdine (2/2/08). The Dons weren't done with the Waves and erupted for 51 points in the first half of their regular season finale March 3.

DONS NOTCH PROGRAM VICTORY NUMBER 1,190: San Francisco collected the 1,190th victory in program history in a 79-60 decision against Loyola Marymount (3/7/08) in the opening round of the 2008 West Coast Conference Tournament. In the 95th season of Division I basketball on the Hilltop, the Dons have their eyes set on 1,200 all-time wins.