STOCKTON, Calif. – The Pacific men's basketball team (14-4, 2-0) will aim to begin conference play with a 3-0 record for the first time since rejoining the WCC when they face off against the University of San Francisco (12-6, 1-2) on Saturday afternoon in Stockton.
 
Having already matched as many wins as they have had the two previous seasons, the Tigers will look to keep their record perfect in 2020 in their first matchup of the year with the Dons.
 
 
GAME DETAILS:
 
Saturday, January 11, 2020-
 
Matchup: San Francisco (12-6, 1-2) vs. Pacific (14-4, 2-0)
 
Location: Stockton, Calif.
 
Venue: Alex G. Spanos Center
 
Time: 4:00 pm
 
Links: Live Stats | Radio | Video
 
 
LAST TIME OUT:

• For the first time since Dec. 11, 1997, Pacific defeated conference rival Saint Mary's at the Alex G. Spanos Center. Recording their first overall win against the Gaels since Nov. 23, 2012, the Tigers topped SMC, 107-99, in a four-overtime thriller on Saturday, Jan. 4.
• Playing 60 minutes in total, the game was the longest Division I men's basketball contest so far this season.
• Making history throughout the night, Jahlil Tripp was named the City of Stockton Human Resources Hardworking Player of the Game after setting new career-highs in points (39), minutes (52), field goals made (12), field goal attempts (21), free throws made (14) and free throw attempts (19). Additionally, he also tied season-highs in three pointers made (1) and assists (3).
• Gary Chivichyan answered the bell time after time, finishing his night by tying his season-high with 19 points, shooting 4-8 from behind the arc overall.
• Daniss Jenkins and Jahbril Price-Noel also came up clutch for the Tigers, finishing with new career-highs in points with 20 and 15 respectively.

 
THINGS TO KNOW:

• Pacific boasts the top defense in the WCC, only allowing 62.3 points per game to opponents. Furthermore, they also possess the conference's best field goal percentage defense, holding their counterparts to shooting just 38.6 percent from the floor.
• The Tigers also clean up on the glass, leading the conference in rebounding margin with a +10.4 mark.
• In his third year with the Tigers, Tripp continues to put together an all-conference season, currently leading Pacific in points per game (14.5), rebounds (8.2), steals (1.4) and minutes played (29.3). Additionally, the 6'5" guard leads the WCC in rebounding while also placing fifth in the conference in steals and tenth in scoring.
• Tripp, who hails from Brooklyn, NY, is guiding Pacific to one of their most successful seasons in years, as Tripp was recently named the conference player of the week after a historic performance in the Tigers 4OT victory over Saint Mary's on Jan. 4.

 
SCOUTING THE DONS:

• USF is 1-1 so far in conference play this season, having lost to Portland, 76-65, on Jan. 4 before defeating Santa Clara, 80-61, on Jan. 9. They currently sit in fifth place in the WCC standings.
• Overall, the Dons can score the basketball, ranking second in the conference in scoring offense with an average of 79.7 points per game.
• Just like the Tigers, San Francisco focuses on rebounding, currently ranked third in the WCC with a +4.7-rebounding margin.
• The Dons are also strong on the defensive end, averaging 7.5 steals per game as a team this season.
• Redshirt junior Charles Minlend leads USF in scoring with an average of 15.0 points per game, good for eighth in the conference.
• San Francisco has two of the top ten rebounding players in the WCC, as Jimbo Lull (7.4) and Josh Kunen (6.5) rank fifth and seventh respectively.

 
FOLLOW US:
For more updates and more information on the 2019-20 Pacific men's basketball team, be sure to follow @PacificMensBB on Twitter, @pacificmensbb on Instagram and @PacificMensBB on Facebook.