USF Dons 2024-25 Preview: Looking For Another NCAA Tournament Berth
Key Players, Transfers, and Tough Matchups Define USF Dons' Path to the 2024-25 NCAA Tournament
The University of San Francisco (USF) Dons enter the 2024-25 season with hopes to compete for an NCAA tournament berth. As two-time national champions, the Dons have made 17 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three Final Fours and seven Elite Eight runs.
Last season, under second-year head coach Chris Gerlufsen, USF posted a solid 23-11 record, finishing third in the WCC and earning an NIT appearance. With key players like Marcus Williams returning, the Dons are poised to compete near the top of the WCC standings, but their path to the NCAA Tournament hinges on crucial conference matchups and non-conference challenges.
Overview
University of San Francisco Dons (San Francisco, CA)
2x NCAA tournament champion (1955, 1956)
3x Final Four
7x Elite Eight
17 NCAA tournament appearances
Last season: 23-11 (13-5); 3rd in WCC; NIT appearance
Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Chris Gelufsen (2 seasons at USF, 43-25 (.632))
Assistants: Michael Plank, Jay Duncan, Kyle Bankhead, Frankie Ferrari, Kevin Olsen
Did you know? NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell played for the Dons and helped lead them to two NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956.
Offseason Changes
Key Departures: Jonathan Mogbo (Toronto Raptors)
Incoming Transfers & Freshmen: Forward - Jason Rivera-Torres (Vanderbilt); Forward - Tyrone Riley (St. Pius X-St. Matthias HS); Forward - Veniamin Absoi (Greece); Center Carlton Linguard, Jr. (UTSA); James O’Donnell (Australia); Karl Markus Poom (Estonia)
Key Returning Players: Marcus Williams, Ndewedo Newbury, Malik Thomas, Ryan Beasley
Projected Starting Lineup
G- Ryan Beasley, 5-11 (So.) (7.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 35% 3PT)
G - Marcus Williams, 6-2 (Sr.) (14 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.4 spg)
G - Malik Thomas, 6-5 (Sr.) (12.4 ppg, .7 rpg, 40% 3PT)
F - Ndewedo Newbury, 6-7 (9.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 52.6 FG%)
C - Carlton Linguard Jr., 7-0 (Sr.) (9.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 30.6% 3PT)
Three Points:
Marcus Williams is the Player to Watch.
The 6-2 senior guard earned All-WCC First Team honors last season and started all 34 games for USF last season. He led the Dons with 3.9 assists per game. He will become even more effective for USF if he can improve his three-point shooting. His percentage dipped from 40.8% in his sophomore season to 34% in his junior season.
Big Non-Conference Games
Before WCC play, the Dons have home games against Boise State and Long Beach State who appeared in the NCAA tournament last season. They will also host Memphis at the Chase Center before traveling to Florida for the Sunshine Slam where they’ll face Clemson with a potential second matchup against Penn State.
Can USF notch an NCAA Tournament berth?
The Dons have won 20 games or more for the past three seasons, but have only made one NCAA tournament in that span (2022). Marcus Williams’ return will keep this team in the top half of the WCC, but it is unclear whether they’ll have enough firepower to get necessary victories over Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga. Last season, the Dons went 0-3 against Gonzaga and 0-2 against Saint Mary’s. If they had at least two wins against the pair, they may have been on the bubble last season.
