Gonzaga-San Francisco key matchup: Dons’ Khalil Shabazz warms up entering rematch with Gonzaga

San Francisco guard Khalil Shabazz has been on a roll. The 6-foot-1 junior is averaging 19.4 points over the past five games, including a 30-point effort with eight 3-pointers against BYU. He’s made 20 of 41 3s in that stretch.

The Seattle native has scored at least 13 points in every game since being limited to seven in a loss to Gonzaga on Jan. 2. Shabazz was just 2 of 10 from the field, 1 of 5 from deep against the Zags’ bigger guard line that includes Jalen Suggs, Joel Ayayi and Andrew Nemhbard. Aaron Cook, a 6-1 senior, has been one of GU’s best on-ball defenders all season.

Shabazz averages 16.2 points and leads the long-range-happy Dons with 54 3-pointers. He’s also made a team-leading 48 free throws. Shabazz and Jamaree Bouyea (16.7 points, 31 3s) form one of the more dynamic backcourts in the conference, but Bouyea is coming off an ankle injury in Wednesday’s loss to Pepperdine.

”The great thing about Khalil is he will always compete, regardless of who we’re playing and what the situation is,” USF coach Todd Golden said. “He’ll leave it all out there. He’s been great, super consistent.”