Feb. 5, 2010

(San Francisco) - The USF women's basketball team will host its annual "Pink Zone" game Saturday as it welcomes Saint Mary's to the Hilltop. Fans are encouraged to join the Dons and Gaels in unified effort to raise breast cancer awareness by wearing pink to the game. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. at War Memorial Gym.

As part of the event, the Dons and Gaels will sport pink shooting shirts during warm-ups. The coaching staffs and support staff will recognize the event by wearing pink, while officials will use bright pink whistles. The game will mark the first of two "Pink Zone" events that San Francisco will participate in this season. The Dons will also partake in the event next weekend at Loyola Marymount.

The Women's Basketball Coaches Association began the WBCA Pink Zone®, formerly known as "Think Pink", in 2007 as an initiative to raise breast cancer awareness in women's basketball, on campuses and in communities. Kay Yow, former North Carolina State University head women's basketball coach, served as the catalyst for the initiative after her third reoccurrence of breast cancer in 2006. In 2007, more than 120 schools unified for this effort and helped make the inaugural year a success. In 2008, over 1,200 teams and organizations participated, reaching over 830,000 fans and raising over $930,000 for breast cancer awareness and research. The 2009 campaign raised over $1.3 million, reached over 912,000 fans, unified more than 1,600 participating teams and organizations, and saw 56-plus schools break attendance records at their event.