Game Preview: UW vs. San Francisco (Game #11)

Here’s a smaller-than-usual game preview for Sunday’s game. I’ll be back in full force on January 9th, and you won’t get another skimpy preview for the rest of the year!

The Washington Huskies (8-2) will play the San Francisco Dons (4-9) on Sunday at 12:00 PM at Hec Edmundson Pavilion.

The game will be broadcast on FSN NW and KJR-950 in Seattle, or your local Husky radio affiliate elsewhere (click here to find yours).

What you need to know about the Huskies:

The Huskies last played on Tuesday evening at home, when they defeated Texas A&M, 73-64.

The Huskies are most recently ranked 22nd in the AP poll and 19th in the Coaches’ Poll.

This will be the first-ever meeting between the Huskies and the Dons.

Projected lineup: G – Abdul Gaddy, G – Isaiah Thomas, G – Quincy Pondexter, F – Darnell Gant, F – Matthew Bryan-Amaning

What you need to know about the Dons:

San Francisco comes into the game at 4-9, having last defeated Cal State Bakersfield 82-73 on Wednesday night.

San Francisco’s best player is Dior Lowhorn, a 6’7″ senior forward who averages 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists per game. Last season, the Texas Tech transfer led the WCC in scoring.

Projected lineup: G – Michael Williams, G – Dontae Bryant, F – Dior Lowhorn, F – Angelo Caloiaro, C – Tomas Bruha

Keys to the game/What to Expect:

The Huskies will obviously have the talent advantage here, but the Dons do have height. San Francisco has five regular players 6’7″ or taller, usually starting three forwards, and two guards over six feet. It will be critical for the Huskies to use their advantage on the perimeter against the Dons.

Key matchup: Quincy Pondexter vs. Dior Lowhorn. Quincy will have his hands full guarding a player like Lowhorn, who can, according to his coach, “shoot the basketball. He can post up. He can face up and do some things off the dribble.”

What I expect: The talent level is too wide here, particularly between our guards and theirs. I expect the Huskies to prevail, 86-64.