Six days after a heartbreaking loss to Pepperdine in Malibu, San Francisco turned up their defensive intensity and routed the Waves 74-52 at War Memorial Gym. The Lady Dons (9-9, 2-3 WCC) received an outstanding performance from freshman forward Carey Sauer, who scored a career-high 19 points, and by sophomore guard Melanie Turner who came off the bench and scored 11 points to keep the Dons in the lead for most of the evening.

In the second half, Sauer was unstoppable in a 12-4 USF run, scoring ten points in three and a half minutes as the Lady Dons extended their lead from 11 points to a 19 point advantage, 54-35. Her presence was felt all over the court, as she scored from everywhere- on a layup, free throws, and a three-point basket.

Pepperdine (10-8, 3-2 WCC) never got an opportunity to get their offense going, as San Francisco's defense forced them into 17 turnovers, and a miserable 29.5 % field goal percentage. Freshman guard Damaris Hinojosa led the Waves with 15 points, and a 7-for-17 performance from the field.

I was very pleased with our intensity and our effort tonight, head coach Bill Nepfel said. We did a good job of limiting their penetration and they missed a lot of open shots, Nepfel added.

The Lady Dons also shot well again from the charity stripe, converting 21 of 24 on the evening.

San Francisco returns to action Saturday night (January 29) as they host Loyola Marymount in another crucial West Coast Conference match up. The Lady Dons fell to the Lions in overtime last weekend, 80-68. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM and will be shown live on Bay TV.