SAN FRANCISCO — Malik Thomas played a pivotal role in San Francisco’s 81-70 victory over Oregon State on Saturday night, leading the team with 24 points.
Thomas showcased his shooting ability by hitting 8 of 11 attempts, including 4 from 6 beyond the three-point line, while also converting 4 of 5 free-throw attempts. The Dons improved their record to 16-5 overall and 6-2 in the West Coast Conference.
Marcus Williams contributed significantly with 21 points, shooting an impressive 8 of 12 and sinking 4 of 5 from three-point range, while also dishing out five assists. Tyrone Riley IV had a strong performance as well, scoring 15 points on 4 of 5 shooting, with 3 for 3 from three-point territory, and making 4 of 6 free throws.
For Oregon State, which now holds a 14-6 record and 4-3 in the conference, Michael Rataj led the team with 18 points, adding six rebounds and two steals. Damarco Minor contributed 12 points along with six rebounds, while Parsa Fallah chipped in with nine points.
San Francisco seized control of the game with 8:05 remaining in the first half and never looked back, going into halftime with a 43-34 lead thanks in part to Thomas’s 14 first-half points. The Dons expanded a 10-point advantage in the second half into a commanding 19-point lead with a 9-0 run, pushing the score to 61-42 with 12:11 left on the clock. Riley made significant contributions in the second half, scoring 11 points to help secure the win.