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The San Francisco Dons finished the 2023-24 college basketball season at 23-11, an improvement from their 20-14 record the previous year. San Francisco qualified for the National Invitation Tournament and was knocked out by Cincinnati in the first round.
Third-year coach Chris Gerlufsen will use his team's progress over the last two seasons to motivate the Dons to aspire for bigger objectives, especially in ruling the West Coast Conference and securing a spot in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Here's an inside look into San Francisco's upcoming campaign from its biggest games to its key players to watch out for this season.
San Francisco's biggest games of the 2024-25 season
San Francisco will face three NCAA Tournament qualifiers during the nonconference regular season. They will host Boise State and Long Beach State on Nov. 9 and Nov. 13 before they head to the Sunshine Slam tournament.
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Boise State lost to Colorado in the First Four while Arizona eliminated Long Beach State in the first round.
The third NCAA Tournament entrant that the Dons are facing this season is Elite Eight qualifier Clemson. The two teams are scheduled to meet in the Sunshine Slam Beach Division semifinals on Nov. 25 and the winner will take on either Penn State or Fordham in the final.
They will go on the road on Dec. 15 to take on Loyola Chicago at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee and Bradley at the Carver Arena in Illinois on Dec. 18.
San Francisco starts its WCC regular-season games on Dec. 28 against Loyola Marymount. The Dons will play home and away games against Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara, Pacific, Washington State, Oregon State, Saint Mary's, San Diego and Gonzaga. They will host Portland on Jan. 9 and visit Pepperdine on Jan. 16.
Top San Francisco players to watch out for in the 2024-25 season
#1. Marcus Williams
Marcus Williams is coming off an excellent 2023-24 season where he tallied 14.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game. The 6-foot-2 guard shot 45.6% from the field and 67.2% from the foul line.
The fifth-year guard will be the main offensive weapon for the Dons as he proved last year that he can be dependable in offense and defense.
#2. Malik Thomas
Malik Thomas was San Francisco's third-leading scorer last season, averaging 12.4 points per game. The 6-foot-5 USC transfer made 47.4% of his shots from the field, including 40.0% from the 3-point line, and was also outstanding from the free-throw line, making 86.1% of his shots.
Thomas will form a 1-2 backcourt combo with Marcus Williams as they try to lead the Dons to the NCAA Tournament.
#3. Carlton Linguard Jr.
Carlton Linguard Jr. spent his three seasons with Kansas State and UTSA before transferring to San Francisco during the offseason. The seven-footer had decent numbers with UTSA, averaging 9.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
Linguard is expected to play a vital role in the center spot for the Dons, as he is an agile big man who can shoot from the outside and block some shots.
Predictions for San Francisco's 2024-25 season
San Francisco will still be one of the strongest teams in the WCC despite the arrival of Washington State and Oregon State. With two of their top three scorers back this year, expect the Dons to pick up what they left off last season and aim for the WCC regular season and tournament double.
San Francisco can win at least 20 games this coming season and will be in the thick of things in the conference.
Will San Francisco make the 2025 NCAA Tournament? Let us know your views in the comments section.
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