# '25-'26 WCC Game #16: The Other Big One (@ USF) **URL:** \ **Category:** Game Preview/Recap\ **Created:** [February 20, 2026, 3:46pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098 "2026-02-20T15:46:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PattyMac](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.wakeupswig.com/pattymac/32/15_2.png) [@PattyMac](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/PattyMac)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 3:46pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/1 "2026-02-20T15:46:26Z")
**San Francisco Dons** The Dons have unraveled a bit down the stretch in conference play. They’ve endured a 90–63 blowout loss to Oregon State Beavers, a home upset against LMU Lions (85–74), and another road blowout at the hands of the Saint Mary’s Gaels (79–54). Since the last meeting with Santa Clara, USF has gone 2–3, with most games decided by double digits — in either direction. It’s been a volatile stretch. **Offensive Profile** Statistically, the Dons don’t overwhelm you in league play: ```auto 4th in turnover rate (15.2%) Only top-3 offensive category: **Free Throw Rate (38.7%)** ``` They aren’t lighting it up from deep or dominating efficiency metrics — they generate value by attacking the rim and getting to the line. **Defensive Profile** Defensively, they’ve been solid in specific areas: ```auto 4th in defensive rebounding rate (holding opponents to 25% OREB rate) 3rd in defensive free throw rate (28.4%) — they defend without fouling ``` However, the bigger picture is concerning: ```auto Defensive efficiency: 109.8 (196th nationally) Turnovers forced: 13.5% (low) ``` They don’t pressure the ball, and they don’t consistently disrupt rhythm. In a loaded WCC, that’s led to shootouts against bottom-tier teams and blowouts against the league’s top four. For every productive stretch offensively, they’ve allowed comparable production on the other end. **Key Personnel** **David Fuchs** Fuchs has carried the interior production. Recent stretch: ```auto 30 pts, 9 reb vs Pacific 13 & 11 9 & 11 21 pts, 13 reb ``` He’s been their most consistent physical presence and can tilt games in the paint. **Ryan Beasley** Beasley is the engine. His role fluctuates between scorer and distributor: ```auto 30 pts vs LMU 17 pts vs Oregon State Multiple 7+ assist games, including an 11-assist performance ``` When he controls tempo, USF looks competent. When he’s forced into inefficient scoring, things unravel. **Junjie Wang** With injuries to Tyrone Riley IV and Mookie Cook, Wang has provided steady scoring: ```auto 19 vs Pacific 11 and 14 in back-to-back games ``` He’s not explosive, but he’s stabilizing. **What’s Different About This USF Team?** Past Dons teams were defined by defensive toughness. This group? Not quite. The defensive drop-off is noticeable. They don’t force turnovers, and they struggle containing high-level WCC offensive talent. That’s why they’ve looked overmatched against top-tier competition. **What to Expect vs Santa Clara** They face Gonzaga Bulldogs tonight (2/18), then host Santa Clara. Expect urgency — pride and WCC Tournament seeding are on the line. Signs of life: ```auto Tyrone Riley IV is beginning to look more like the expected anchor. Freshman Legend Smiley (15 pts vs San Diego) Sr. Vukasin Masic (22 pts vs San Diego) ``` If those two continue producing alongside Beasley and Fuchs, USF becomes much more balanced. **Bottom Line** The Dons are talented but inconsistent. They: ```auto Get to the line. Rebound defensively. Lean heavily on 2–3 primary scorers. ``` They: ```auto Don’t force turnovers. Defend worse than previous USF teams. Struggle against elite offenses. ``` For Santa Clara, the key is pace and discipline: ```auto Don’t foul. Make them guard in space. Test their defensive rotations early. ``` If this becomes a half-court free-throw game, it favors USF. If it becomes an efficiency battle with ball movement and perimeter pressure, it favors the Broncos. [Preview by @KourtsideKev11] ---
**Author:** ![Midwestbronco14](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.wakeupswig.com/midwestbronco14/32/34_2.png) [@Midwestbronco14](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/Midwestbronco14)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 9:40pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/2 "2026-02-16T21:40:16Z")
Getting this one going early because we still have lots left on the table this season. It was amazing seeing a full Leavey - let’s keep the momentum going and pack “Leavey North” aka Sobrato War Memorial. ---
**Author:** ![PattyMac](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.wakeupswig.com/pattymac/32/15_2.png) [@PattyMac](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/PattyMac)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 9:58pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/3 "2026-02-16T21:58:05Z")
The scheduling is pretty advantageous for SCU in this one. They’ll have a full week rest to take on USF after their own final tilt with the Zags. Remember the beat down that SMC gave the Broncos just a couple of days after Adama Bal’s buzzer beater? Hopefully we get to be SMC this time. Also, @Midwestbronco14 as one of the perennial organizers of the Leavey North efforts, I hope that you heard Jalen Williams refer to the Gonzaga game as “the biggest game [for Santa Clara] every year _after SF_.” I can only hope that with Gonzaga out of the league, the students will focus on the real rivalries with the Dons and Gaels. ---
**Author:** ![92bronc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/898d66/32.png) [@92bronc](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/92bronc)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 11:18pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/4 "2026-02-16T23:18:05Z")
Agreed, while the GU loss is still frustrating for me for the lack of willingness to go all in and commit to a more pronounced defensive scheme and adjustment to stop Ike in the post and wings attacking the basket…..the team has to turn the page and not suffer a hangover loss to USF. This is the weakest USF squad in awhile; under .500 in league and unlikely to reach 20 wins for the season. And now Tyrone Riley has been out the last ~week. Broncos must take care of business otherwise the Bracketology talk evaporates in a heartbeat. ---
**Author:** ![merkin1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@merkin1982](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/merkin1982)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 12:00am UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/5 "2026-02-17T00:00:42Z")
As Raiders owner Al Davis used to say “ just win baby”. I was Never a raider fan but , had respect ---
**Author:** ![pistolpete89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@pistolpete89](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/pistolpete89)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 4:04pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/6 "2026-02-17T16:04:06Z")
92…..Is USF Riley’s absence injury related? ---
**Author:** ![BroncoHoops5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@BroncoHoops5](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/BroncoHoops5)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 6:45am UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/7 "2026-02-18T06:45:17Z")
I saw some rumblings online he may be out for good. ---
**Author:** ![PattyMac](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.wakeupswig.com/pattymac/32/15_2.png) [@PattyMac](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/PattyMac)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 3:43pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/8 "2026-02-18T15:43:27Z")
**Roll call poll for those headed to the Hilltop / Leavey North:** _Poll ([view on site](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/8))_ I sadly will not be there. The Broncos need to get one more win for Midwest and Nashty, and then I’ll take my post at the Moraga game. If they win the next two, I’m going to Vegas. ---
**Author:** ![Midwestbronco14](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.wakeupswig.com/midwestbronco14/32/34_2.png) [@Midwestbronco14](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/Midwestbronco14)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 3:55pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/9 "2026-02-18T15:55:16Z")
Here is the link for the official alumni event for the game: [https://mysantaclara.scu.edu/ath---2026-battle-of-the-bay-tailgate--usf-](https://mysantaclara.scu.edu/ath---2026-battle-of-the-bay-tailgate--usf-) ---
**Author:** ![getnashty](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.wakeupswig.com/getnashty/32/1253_2.png) [@getnashty](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/getnashty)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 4:05pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/10 "2026-02-18T16:05:46Z")
Whoops, looks like I inadvertently deleted my emotional screed about how this is an important one for me, I get to go with my dad, blah blah blah. He refers to it as the ‘University of Something Fishy’! I’m in touch with a lot of San Francisco Broncos, old and young, and I’m forecasting a positive turnout here. SCU is obviously a South Bay institution, but so much of my lived experience with Santa Clara alumni is here in the City, where we have to brush shoulders with Dons and Gaels all the time. I live adjacent-ish to USF and will be wearing my SCU Basketball hat all week in the ‘hood. I’ll get more ‘Go Broncos’ than sneers! The Dons have a bigger fish to try to fry tonight. My WCC basketball heart says I should go for fun, but being surrounded by so many Zags and Dons might trigger my fight or flight system 🤪 Selfishly, I’d love to see the Broncos play a marquee non-conference game at Chase like we did a few times in the early 2000s at SAP/Oracle… I suppose we’re not quite ‘there’ yet. I wonder if SMC-GU will do a neutral-site home-and-home in Oakland and Spokane in the future. How lucky to get USF post-Gonzaga and then get SMC pre-Gonzaga, on a week’s rest. Two tricky road game for the Gaels this week, too. This rivalry is characterized by one team trying to ruin the other’s good season. Let’s not add a chapter to that history book with this one. Dons appear to have lost the plot - they don’t even have a preview thread for the game against Gonzaga at an NBA Arena on the forum. They don’t appear happy with Coach Gerlufsen. ---
**Author:** ![buckets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@buckets](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/buckets)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 5:38pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/11 "2026-02-18T17:38:01Z")
Just curious, do you think Gerlufsen deserves the ire of Dons fans? He’s struck me as a very good coach that has had decent success at USF. ---
**Author:** ![getnashty](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.wakeupswig.com/getnashty/32/1253_2.png) [@getnashty](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/getnashty)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 5:46pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/12 "2026-02-18T17:46:48Z")
![Screenshot 2026-02-18 at 9.39.11 AM](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/wakeupswig/original/2X/a/afac8fd007a868908c383c6e197758de1e1f1856.jpeg) These were his first three seasons… it’s obvious why their fans figured this year would be a step forward, or at least on par with last year - 20 wins, top 3, NIT. They were picked in the preseason poll to finish 3rd, with a 1st place vote. Instead, Santa Clara stole their lunch money as the ‘other’ top 3 team flirting with an at-large, and UOP is the big improvement story. I ran into a USF coach here in town the day after their loss to North Alabama… The other non-conference losses were excusable, but that one was not. That coach, who will remain nameless, did predict Santa Clara would or could get an at-large in the style of the 2022 Dons… that was pre-LUC. The Dons non-conference schedule (@MemphisMe@SLUphis, @SLU, Nevada, Minnesota, Colorado and the same misguided instinct to schedule LUC at Chase) suggests to me they thought they could be an at-large or at least top 75 team. Losses at home to LMU and then getting absolutely worked by a Q4 Oregon State team are results that are bound to get their fanbase upset. It appears he may have lost some of the locker room, and/or the team. Whatever the sentiment, the ‘bad’ news for Dons fans is that without a permanent Athletic Director in place, I would imagine absent an actual misconduct scandal they will be unable to make a move. That may end up being for the best - I think CG is a fine coach, and I think hiring a coach without a permanent AD is a bad idea. Things change so much year-over-year that I would give him another year. Golden had things working there, and he’s something of a continuation of that system… you never know what you’ll get when you reset. ---
**Author:** ![Midwestbronco14](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.wakeupswig.com/midwestbronco14/32/34_2.png) [@Midwestbronco14](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/Midwestbronco14)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 5:50pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/13 "2026-02-18T17:50:13Z")
USF certainly doesn’t have the talent they thought they had going into this year. I don’t think Gerlufsen is a bad coach but this team has lost the plot - 2 of LMU’s 4 wins in conference have come at the expense of the Don’ts. I think the fans are looking for a scapegoat to be held accountable. They’re currently hunting for a new AD and I can only assume the new AD will want their say in a new bball coach. ---
**Author:** ![SC7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@SC7](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/SC7)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 7:24pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/14 "2026-02-18T19:24:23Z")
SCU also has a bus to send students to the game ---
**Author:** ![PattyMac](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.wakeupswig.com/pattymac/32/15_2.png) [@PattyMac](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/PattyMac)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 8:57pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/15 "2026-02-18T20:57:44Z")
I’m glad they are bringing this back. I remember taking buses to at least the SMC games. And this was back when SCU couldn’t even make the NIT, let alone was showing up on Bubble Watch, etc. ---
**Author:** ![SC7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@SC7](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/SC7)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 9:11pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/16 "2026-02-18T21:11:34Z")
Yeah, not sure that they will do SMC since the tickets are sold out, but I am excited to see what happens Saturday. ---
**Author:** ![TD\_24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/91b2a8/32.png) [@TD\_24](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/TD_24)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 9:17pm UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/17 "2026-02-18T21:17:49Z")
this is pound for pound the best scu environment all year with all due respect to the zags home game and I’m glad the school is getting the bus together. The same way the students show for the Zags needs to be the way for SMC and USF and especially the Dons on the road. Think this will be a 50/50 crowd with Bronco noise lean ---
**Author:** ![92bronc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/898d66/32.png) [@92bronc](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/92bronc)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 3:36am UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/18 "2026-02-19T03:36:51Z")
Not sure on Riley, I assume so but I haven’t researched. ---
**Author:** ![G-man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/76d3ee/32.png) [@G-man](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/G-man)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 4:09am UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/19 "2026-02-19T04:09:13Z")
Riley is back tonight….no comment by Fleming as to why he had missed. Beasley is playing as well. ---
**Author:** ![BroncoBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a3d4f5/32.png) [@BroncoBob](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/u/BroncoBob)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 4:20am UTC](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098/20 "2026-02-19T04:20:28Z")
So strange that the Dons play the Gonzaga game at Chase Center and essentially make it much closer to a Neutral Game. [Next page](https://forum.wakeupswig.com/t/25-26-wcc-game-16-the-other-big-one-usf/1098.md?page=2)