Davidson vs San Francisco Odds and Picks (Nov. 13)
- San Francisco is an 8.5-point home favorite against Davidson at 8:30 pm ET on Saturday
- The Dons are the second-choice (+3000) behind Gonzaga to win the WCC
- See below for odds, analysis and a betting prediction
San Francisco (2-0) hosts Davidson at 8:30 pm ET Saturday (November 13th). The Dons have won their first two games handily, although they have come against lesser (no offense) competition in Long Island University and Prairie View A&M.
Davidson (1-0) of the Atlantic 10 Conference opened with a decisive 93-71 victory over Colonial Athletic Association favorite Delaware on Tuesday.
Davidson vs San Francisco Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davidson Wildcats | +310 | +8.5 (-118) | Over 142.5 (-106) |
| San Francisco Dons | -400 | -8.5 (-104) | Under 142.5 (-114) |
Odds as of Nov. 12th at FanDuel.
San Francisco opened up as an 8.5 point favorite, in a game that features a total of 142.5. They scored 19 of the first 20 points in a 92-76 victory over Prairie View A&M on Thursday in the second game of its season-opening six-game home stand.
Davidson 2020-21 leading scorer Kellan Grady transferred to Kentucky last summer, but the Wildcats return three starters and a key bench player from a 13-9 team that lost to North Carolina State in the first round of the NIT.
Dons of the Backcourt
Guards Jamaree Bouyea and Khalil Shabazz continue to drive the Dons’ offense, just as they did a year ago. The pair, both preseason all-WCC selections, combined for 73 points in the first two games — 30 points on 10 of 19 shooting against Long Island and 43 points on 16 of 29 shooting against Prairie View A&M.
https://youtu.be/n5v3WItmoeY
Although obscured by Gonzaga’s stellar guard corps, Bouyea and Shabazz averaged a combined 27.7 field goal attempts per game in 2020-21, the largest percentage of attempts among two teammates in the WCC. They were second in total attempts to the Zags’ Corey Kispert and Drew Timme, whose team played seven more game than the Dons.
Bouyea, a 6’2 senior, averaged 17.3 points and 3.8 assists per game a year ago and Shabazz, a 6’1 junior, averaged 15 points and 3.6 rebounds. Each was in the top four in steals, combining for 3.5 thefts per game, and Shabazz made 62 threes, second only to Kispert in the league.
Changing of the Guard
Davidson’s Grady, who had a 17.3 scoring average in his four-year career, was ably replaced (for at least one game) by Michigan State transfer guard Foster Loyer, who had 27 points in the Wildcats’ 93-71 victory over Delaware.
Loyer, a 6’1 point, made 10 of 12 field goal attempts and all six 3-pointers against the Blue Hens. The Michigan high school player of the year in 2018, Loyer played 67 games in his first two seasons at Michigan State but missed the final 19 games of 2020-21 after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.
He averaged 4.2 points and 2.3 assists in 16.6 minutes per game in 2020-21, making 17 of 52 threes.
Dons Bulk Up
Out-rebounded by two boards a game last season, the Dons used the transfer portal to not only beef up the interior but also to add guard support for Bouyea and Shabazz.
Top performers in the dub⬇️@bouyea_ycl – 24 pts (9-13 FG), 5 reb, 4 ast, 4 blk, 1 stl@Khalilshabazz0 – 19 pts (5-8 3pt), 2 ast, 1 reb, 1 stl
Gabe Stefanini- 16 pts (7-10 FG), 5 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl
Patrick Tapé- 10 pts (4-5 FT), 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk#USFDons | #WCChoops pic.twitter.com/oJg3nxnc8t— San Francisco Men's Basketball (@USFDonsMBB) November 12, 2021
New frontcourt starters Yauhen Massalski, a 6’10 transfer from San Diego, and Patrick Tapé, a 6’8 transfer from Duke, have combined for 40 points and 23 rebounds in the first two games, helping the Dons to a +13.5 rebounding margin.
Dartmouth graduate transfer Gabe Stefanini, a 6’3 guard, has 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the first two games.
Lee a Key
Returning wings Hyunjung Lee and Luka Brajkovic averaged in double figures for the balanced Wildcats a year ago. Lee, a 6’7 senior, was second to Grady with a 13.5 scoring average and made 44.2 percent of his 120 three-point attempts, second in the league.
Brajkovic, a 6’10 senior, averaged 10.9 points and six rebounds. Guard Michael Jones had 13 points and two threes while joining the starting lineup against Delaware. Jones made nine threes in the last seven games off the bench a year ago.
Winning the Margins
Old-school Davidson has built its success by doing the essential “non-scoring” parts of the game, their 93 points in the season opener notwithstanding.
The Wildcats run a motion offense that generates good shots and floor balance. They were 34th in Division I in scoring defense last year, 37th in field goal percentage, 50th in rebounding margin and 57th in 3-point shooting percentage. They were 13-9 while struggling with ball possession (-0.3 turnover margin) and poor free throw shooting (68.7).
By the Numbers
San Francisco was 11-14 straight up and 10-15 ATS last season. The Dons started strong but lost seven of their last eight games straight up and were 5-13 ATS in their last 18 as the WCC went into full swing.
Davidson was 13-9 straight up last season and won seven of its last 11. The Wildcats were 10-11 ATS.
Pick: Davidson +8.5 (-118)
Jack has covered college and professional sports for various Arizona media outlets since the 1980s and has written for the Associated Press, USA Today and Baseball America, among others. He staffed the 2015-17 World Series and has staffed four Super Bowls.
