San Francisco @ Gonzaga preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 12, 2019 ) Gonzaga 96, San Francisco 83

Fourth-ranked Gonzaga looks to record its 13th consecutive victory when it hosts San Francisco on Saturday in West Coast Conference play. The Bulldogs have won by an average of 34 points during their 12-game winning streak with the Dons losing by the smallest margin, 96-83 on Jan. 12.

San Francisco pushed Gonzaga hard in last month's meeting before the Bulldogs went on a game-ending 17-2 run to turn a two-point deficit into a victory. Gonzaga has recorded eight 30-point victories during the winning streak and it holds a 2 1/2-game lead over second-place BYU in the WCC race. The Bulldogs, who have beaten the Dons 15 straight times, are averaging 91.2 points per game, a figure that will rate as a new school mark should it hold up. San Francisco is playing its third straight road game and dropped each of the first two - 67-63 to San Diego and 86-80 to Saint Mary's.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco), ROOT (Gonzaga)

ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO (17-5, 5-3 WCC): Sophomore guard Charles Minlend averages a team-best 15.2 points and senior point guard Frankie Ferrari (14.1 points, team-leading 5.7 assists) is close behind and both players scored 22 points in last Saturday's loss to Saint Mary's. Ferrari scored 21 points in last month's home loss to Gonzaga in a contest that saw the Dons allow their most points of the season. Senior forward Matt McCarthy (10.1 points, team-best 6.6 rebounds) had just four points against Saint Mary's after averaging 15 points and making 20-of-26 shots over the previous three games.

ABOUT GONZAGA (21-2, 8-0): Junior forward Rui Hachimura posted the second-highest output of his career when he tallied 32 points on 11-of-15 shooting in last Saturday's 85-69 victory over San Diego. Hachimura, who averages a team-leading 20.4 points, has scored in double digits every game this season and has recorded 14 outings of 20 or more points. Senior point guard Josh Perkins averages 10.9 points and a team-leading 6.7 assists and his 632 career assists are eight behind second-place Blake Stepp (640 from 2000-04) in program history.

TIP-INS

1. Gonzaga is 33-2 against San Francisco in games played in Spokane and it has won the past 29 matchups.

2. Junior F Brandon Clarke (16.4 scoring average) is tied with Zach Collins (69 in 2016-17) on the single-season blocked shots list, one behind record-holder Austin Daye (2008-09).

3. Minlend made a career-best six 3-pointers in the loss to Saint Mary's.

PREDICTION: Gonzaga 91, San Francisco 74