San Francisco Dons vs. Pacific Tigers Prediction & Game Preview - 2/21/2022

Time: 9 p.m. ET

Venue: Alex G. Spanos Center, Stockton, CA

Where to watch: TBD

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Caesars: Check back later

San Francisco: 21-7 (8-5 WCC)

Pacific: 8-18 (3-8 WCC)

It has been a sharp decline of a second half for the San Francisco Dons, going form perennial contender in the WCC to falling off a cliff and looking more and more like they will end up in the NIT than anything else.

You hate to see it, because I think the more competition for Gonzaga in that realm is better for college basketball and is better for just all of us in general who love to see the top teams get taken down any chance they get. It's always fun to see these teams that have national championship aspirations year after year to just take a back seat every once in a while.

And here we are with San Francisco coming off a 69-64 road loss to the Saint Mary's Gaels, a team that actually looks like it could topple Gonzaga at some point this year, with USF falling to 3-2 in its last five.

Gabe Stefanini led the way with 23 points but the biggest problem was Jamaree Bouyea going just 1 of 9 from the floor and finishing with two points in 34 minutes. Bouyea was looking like a "booyah" of a pick when it came to potential Players of the Year categories, but it doesn't appear that's going to be the case anymore.

Yeah, Bouyea still averages about 17 points per game and is going to be the one relied upon to make the big baskets when San Francisco needs it, but he can't be going 1 for 9 in big games. Saint Mary's is no slouch; it's been a solid defensive team for the longest time, so it's not necessarily a shock that this happened, but San Francisco should've won this game and the only reason why they didn't was because of Bouyea's shortcomings.

I'd fully expect him to bounce back on Monday.

There aren't many teams in the country that I'd consider eyesores, but the Pacific Tigers might be one of those given how they're just the ugly stepchildren of the WCC.

In a battle of the worst teams in the West Coast Conference on Saturday, Pacific edged out a 69-68 win over Loyola Marymount at home. Big man Jeremiah Bailey had 22 points for Pacific's third conference victory of the season and need two more to reach double figures in the win column. Yeah, being an 8-win team in this economy really isn't going to do well for anything.

In a rare turn of events, Pacific shot 49 percent from the floor and 33 percent from 3-point range.  So long as Bailey is trying to be somewhat of a formidable force in the paint, the Tigers are going to get chances to exploit matchups and make things happen.

But that would require other players to step up, especially from the guard positions, to turn the tide. For as decent of a player that Alphonso Anderson is, he should not be your leading rebounder in a game over the likes of Bailey. Especially if he's going to finish with only six points. If that secondary scoring can come from the likes of Luke Avadalovic and his three 3-pointers, that's a good start.

But at the end of the day, there's no way to make up for just how bad Pacific has been this season. The dropoff from the top teams to Pepperdine, LMU and Pacific is a scary cliff-like drop and I'm not sure there's ever a chance to recover.

Don't overthink how this one will go. San Francisco is the far better team, better at guard, better at center, preferably a better bench, too. If this comes even remotely close, the Dons should be able to control the clock and do just enough to get a win. I see a cover, however, and another win to somewhat aid USF in its hopes to make the WCC at least a four-team conference. We'll see how things go, but I like San Francisco comfortably. San Francisco by 18

San Francisco is 3-13 ATS in their last 16 following an ATS win.

San Francisco is 6-20 ATS in their last 26 following an outright victory.

Pacific is 0-7 ATS in their last seven following an ATS win.

PG: Khalil Shabazz

SG: Jamaree Bouyea

SF: Gave Stefanini

PF: Patrick Tape

C: Yauhen Massalski

PG: Pierre Cockrell

SG: Khaleb Wilson-Rouse

SF: Luke Avadalovic

PF: Alphonso Anderson

C: Jeremiah Bailey

Points: Jamaree Bouyea -- 17.3

Rebounds: Yauhen Massalski -- 9.7

Assists: Jamaree Bouyea -- 3.6

Points: Alphonoso Anderson -- 11.3

Rebounds: Alphonso Anderson -- 6.8

Assists: Pierre Cockrell -- 4.3