The University of San Francisco Dons delivered a poised second-half finish to secure an 85–78 West Coast Conference victory over the Pacific Tigers on Saturday night at the War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.
In a game that stayed tight through much of both halves, San Francisco found separation late in the second period, ripping off an 8–0 run that finally created breathing room. The Dons carried a three-point edge into halftime behind a strong opening half from David Fuchs, then executed down the stretch to close out the conference win.
Fuchs, a junior from Vienna, Austria, authored the night’s standout performance. He poured in a career-high 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds, narrowly missing a double-double while anchoring the Dons on both ends of the floor. Guard Ryan Beasley orchestrated the offense with a game-high 10 assists, repeatedly finding shooters and cutters as San Francisco’s offense found rhythm late.
The Dons received balanced support throughout the lineup. Tyrone Riley IV added 16 points and was flawless at the charity stripe (4-for-4), while Junjie Wang and Legend Smiley chipped in 11 points apiece. The rebounding battle finished dead even, with both teams pulling down 32 boards, underscoring how execution—rather than physical dominance—decided the outcome.
Pacific was led by Elias Ralph, who scored 23 points in the loss. Ralph was sharp from distance, hitting 4-of-6 from three-point range and a perfect 5-for-5 at the free-throw line. Jaden Clayton contributed 14 points for the Tigers, who stayed within striking distance until San Francisco’s late surge.
With the win, the Dons move to 6–5 in West Coast Conference play, sitting just behind Pacific (also 6–5) by percentage points. The race toward the conference tournament remains crowded with seven league games still ahead for each side.
San Francisco faces a demanding stretch run, hosting Gonzaga Bulldogs (10–0) and Santa Clara Broncos (10–1), and traveling to face Saint Mary’s Gaels (8–2). Pacific’s path is equally challenging, with home matchups against Santa Clara and Saint Mary’s looming, followed by a road test at undefeated Gonzaga late in the season.
With the WCC Tournament just five weeks away in Las Vegas, every result carries weight. The tournament champion earns the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, and Saturday night’s win keeps the Dons firmly in the mix as the stretch run begins.
