Friday, March 6th, 11:30 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Firestone Fieldhouse (3,104) -- Malibu, California. Television: None. Home Record: USF 7-5, Pepperdine 5-10. Away Record: USF 3-13, Pepperdine 2-11. Neutral Record: USF 1-0, Pepperdine 1-1. Conference Record: USF 3-11, Pepperdine 5-9. Series Record: San Francisco leads, 65-46.

GAME NOTES: The San Francisco Dons and Pepperdine Waves meet for the second time in less than a week, only this encounter takes place in the first round of the 2009 West Coast Conference Tournament. The Dons topped the Waves, 70-62, last Saturday to split the season series and extend their lead in the all-time rivalry to 65-46. It was the second win in the past three games for USF, which went just 3-11 in league play during the regular season. The seventh-seeded Dons are 12-21 all-time in this event, taking their lone title back in 1998. As for Pepperdine, it dropped its final four outings of the regular season to dip to 5-9 in conference. The Waves claimed the sixth seed and are gunning for their fourth title in this event and first since 1994. The survivor of this battle will earn the right to face the University of Portland in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

The Dons are paced by the top scorer in the WCC in Dior Lowhorn, who averages 19.7 ppg. Lowhorn is also the team's top rebounder at 6.9 rpg and he is shooting 44 percent from three-point range. USF, however, doesn't have many other options, as Kwame Vaughn is a distant second in scoring with his 10.6 ppg. Blake Wallace adds 8.3 rpg to the equation, and the Dons are generating just 67.1 ppg on 43.1 percent shooting from the floor. The club, though, is giving up a slightly higher 69.7 ppg and slowing down opposing teams has been a problem at times for USF this season.

Hanging on to the ball has been an issue for the Waves this season, as they are committing 16.5 turnovers per game. The miscues have hurt the team at both ends of the floor and the proof is in the 11.7 ppg Pepperdine is being outscored by on average. Keion Bell is the lone player on the roster averaging in double figures, netting 12.6 ppg and he also has a team-best 46 steals to his credit. Bell, though, has been a major reason for the team's inability to keep the ball secure, as his 118 turnovers are nearly double his next closest teammate. Mychel Thompson chips in with 9.7 ppg for Pepperdine, but that average would be higher if he wasn't shooting a dismal 34.6 percent from the floor.

This game could go either way, but take the Dons and expect Lowhorn to make the difference.

Predicted Outcome

San Francisco 68, Pepperdine 64