Gonzaga @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 16, 2017 ) San Francisco 61, Gonzaga 96

Silas Melson just delivered the top scoring game of his career and the senior guard looks to post another strong outing when No. 14 Gonzaga visits San Francisco on Saturday in West Coast Conference play. Melson established career highs of 23 points and seven 3-pointers as the Bulldogs steamrolled Portland 103-57 on Thursday.

Melson has battled consistency issues with his shooting this season and had just 26 3-pointers in 17 games before his eruption against Portland. "He's shot the ball up and down this year," Gonzaga coach Mark Few told reporters of Melson. "The rim was looking pretty big for him." The Bulldogs are rolling through the WCC and have won their first five league games by an average of 35.4 points with four of the victories coming by 30 or more points. San Francisco is coming off a 67-65 road loss to Loyola Marymount, a contest in which the Dons committed 17 turnovers.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT GONZAGA (15-3, 5-0 WCC): Melson is sixth on the Bulldogs with a 10.4 scoring average and credited the team's stellar ball movement for helping create his best-ever performance. "It helps a lot," Melson said after the contest. "We were getting shots on our terms. Rhythm shots are one of our keys and we did that from the start." Senior power forward Johnathan Williams (team-best averages of 13.9 points and 7.1 rebounds) sat out the second half after bumping knees with a Portland player but is set to play against the Dons.

ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO (10-8, 2-3): Freshman guard Souley Boum averages 14.1 points as one of three Dons scoring in double digits. One of the other two is sophomore guard Jordan Ratinho (10.2 average, team-best 38 3-pointers), who scored 20 points against Gonzaga last season - a career-best output he has matched twice this season. The availability of senior forward Chase Foster (11.5 average, 35 3-pointers) is unknown after he played just three minutes against Loyola Marymount before exiting.

TIP-INS

1. Gonzaga has won the past 11 meetings and is 34-4 against San Francisco during Mark Few's 18 seasons as coach.

2. Dons junior PG Frankie Ferrari had 12 points and a career-best eight assists against Loyola.

3. Bulldogs sophomore Rui Hachimura, who averages 10.7 points, matched his career best of 20 against Portland.

PREDICTION: Gonzaga 96, San Francisco 67