Basketball season is about to tip off, as USF Athletics announced the schedules of Women’s and Men’s Basketball for this year.
Women’s Basketball:
On Nov. 4, the Dons will face the Colorado State University Rams in Fort Collins. This marks the third match up between these two teams in a span of two years, with the Dons winning on the road in 2023. The team will face the University of California, Santa Barbara Gauchos on Nov. 9, kicking off the season on the Hilltop. The Dons have only faced the Gauchos twice, and have the opportunity to break their home court losing streak. They will face their West Coast Conference (WCC) rivals, the Gonzaga University Bulldogs, on the Hilltop on Dec. 19. The game will be exclusively streamed on ESPN+. The Dons are mired in a 17 game losing streak against the Bulldogs. To finish off the season, they will face the University of San Diego Toreros on Mar. 1, at the Sobrato Center.
Men’s Basketball:
While the women will start their season on an away court, the men’s team will start theirs on the Hilltop. The first game to kick off the season will be against the California Polytechnic State University Mustangs on Nov. 5. The Dons have an ongoing two game winning streak against the Mustangs, and they are looking to extend it on their home court. In November, the Dons will partake in the Sunshine Slam, in the first round of the Beach Bracket against the Clemson University Tigers on Nov. 25. Depending on the result, they will either face the Fordham University Rams or the Pennsylvania State University Lions in the next round. For their first matchup in the WCC, the Dons will face the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Lions on Dec. 28. They currently have a four game winning streak against the LMU Lions, which began in the 2022 season. The WCC matchups determine the seeding for the WCC Conference Tournament in Las Vegas. The winner of the tournament will be guaranteed a spot in March Madness. To finalize the regular season, on Mar. 1, the Dons will face off against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Chase Center, the home of the Golden State Warriors. The Dons currently hope to break the losing drought against the Bulldogs, and to finish the season strong at the NBA stage.
Both the Men and Women’s Basketball teams will have a doubleheader matchup on Nov. 21 at the Chase Center. The Women’s team will play the Boise State University Broncos, which will be their first matchup since the 2013-14 season. The Men’s team will face the University of Memphis Tigers, the second game of the night. This will be the first time that the Dons will face the Tigers. Game times will be established at a later date, and tickets are currently on sale on the Chase Center website.
Students can attend home games at the Sobrato Center for free using their One Card.
Editor-in-Chief: Jordan Premmer, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia McCrackin, Managing Editor: Jordan DelFiugo, News Editor: Phebe Bridges, Sports Editor: John Lindroos
