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HOOPS Around the American (Jan. 29 - Feb. 4)

The AAC is dominating the ESPN airwaves today, with the Game of the Week being North Texas at #22 Florida Atlantic

North Texas (12-6, 5-1) at #22 Florida Atlantic (16-4, 6-1); 1pm (espn2)
SMU (13-6, 4-2) at Wichita State (8-11, 0-6); 3pm (espn2)
#19 Memphis (15-4, 4-2) at UAB (12-7, 4-2); 5pm (ESPN)
Temple (8-12, 1-6) at East Carolina (10-10, 3-4); 5pm (espn2)

Here are my updated rankings headed into today's game:

NCAA Tournament Bound

1. Florida Atlantic (16-4, 6-1); NET: #27
- Owls have now won 5 in a row, and have won 24 of their last 25 home games; Guard Johnell Davis is averaging 19.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 3.7 apg in conference play

2. Memphis (15-4, 4-2); NET: #59 - Tigers have lost 2 in a row by a combined 3 points, and have had to sit around and think about with their last win coming on two weeks ago. Memphis needs to right the ship today at a good UAB team, before fattening up Rice, Wichita State and Temple (on the road)

On the Bubble

3. North Texas (12-6, 5-1); NET: #71 - the Mean Green's win at home against SMU was much needed as their 4 other conference wins were against teams with a combined conference record of 7-21. The Mean Green only allow 59.4 ppg (4th in DI) and can validate their position near the top of the AAC with a win at #22 FAU on Sunday

4. SMU (13-6, 4-2); NET: #33 - The Mustang's NET ranking remained virtually the same despite blowing out Tulsa and losing at North Texas; a late February stretch of games against Memphis, at FAU and at USF - a combined 16-4 in conference - will likely determine their post season fate

NIT Bound

5. Charlotte (13-7, 7-1); NET: #95 - the 49ers play with a slow tempo, averaging 65.3 possessions per game (356th in DI); Charlotte likely isn't going to fade from the conference race as only 3 of their last 10 games are against teams with a winning conference record (at Memphis and home/away against USF), and a record of 20-10 and 14-4 may be good enough to challenge for the regular season title

Post Season Possible

6. South Florida (13-5, 6-1); NET: #116 - Bulls have won 11 of their last 12 and would be ranked higher, but outside of their win at Memphis their other 5 conference wins are against the bottom four teams in the conference, who are a combined 4-24 in conference play; upcoming games against North Texas (road) and Charlotte (home) should be a good barometer of how improved USF really is

7. Tulane (12-8, 3-5); NET: #117 - Green Wave, losers of 5 of their last 7, would likely be higher in the rankings if they could win close games, but 3 of their 5 conferences losses have come by a combined 6 points; with 5 games left against the top 4 teams in the conference Tulane could dramatically lower their NET if they can get hot

8. UAB (12-7, 4-2); NET: #148 - the Blazers have a great opportunity to surge up the rankings with their next two home games are against #19 Memphis and #22 Florida Atlantic with tough road games against SMU and North Texas sandwiched in between

Second Division

9. Tulsa (11-8, 2-5); NET: #179 - Golden Hurricane have won 2 of their last 3, and can get their 3rd win Wednesday at home against Wichita State, then have a 5 game stretch against teams with a combined record of 29-5 in conference

10. East Carolina (10-10, 3-4); NET: #188 - Pirates can get to .500 in conference with a win at home against Temple on Sunday; 5 of East Carolina's 10 losses have been by 5 points are less - they won't be pushovers

11. Wichita State (8-11, 0-6); NET: #160 - The Shockers' 7-1 start to the season is a distant memory

12. UTSA (8-13, 2-6): NET: #279 - The Road Runners have allowed 85.0 ppg - second worst in DI

13. Rice (7-13, 1-6); NET: # 248 - Owls have had a 2nd half lead in 3 of their 6 conference losses

14. Temple (8-12, 1-6); NET: #246 - Owls are shooting 37.4% from the field - 4th worst in DI


All Conference First Team
David Jones, Mem (F) - Player of the Year
Kevin Cross (F) - Tulane
PJ Haggerty, Tulsa (G)
Johnell Davis, FAU (G)
Jason Edwards, North Texas (G) - moved up

All Conference Second Team
RJ Felton, East Carolina (G) - moved down
Max Fiedler, Rice (F)
Hysier Miller, Temple (G)
Vladislav Goldin, FAU (C)
Travis Eeve, Rice (G) - moved up

All Conference Third Team
Colby Rogers, Wichita State (G)
Jaylen Forbes, Tulane (G)
Zhuric Phelps, SMU (G) - moved up
Eric Gaines, UAB (G)
Selton Miguel, USF (G)

HOOPS Mid-Major Check In (2/2) - Where does USF Stand?

With one month left to go in the regular season below are the list of all non-P5+Big East schools ranked by NET up to where USF is currently ranked. Joe Lunardi currently projects 6 at-large bids to mid/low-major schools, but I could see that expanding to as many as 8 depending on how the rest of the regular season and conference tournaments play out.
  • Going solely by NET, any mid/low-major team will need to rank inside the Top 50 in NET to realistically get an NCAAT at-large bid
  • Going solely by NET, any mid/low major team will need to rank inside the Top 95 in NET to realistically get an NIT bid (the NIT no longer guarantees spots to regular season conference winners, and instead is guaranteeing 12 spots to the P5+Big East)
  • There are also some leagues - Missouri Valley, Ivy and possibly the WAC - that could get 2 teams in if there is an upset in their conference tournament, which would bump up to 3 NCAAT bubble teams out (those being bumped could come from any conference)
  • Right now I would say USF needs to leapfrog about 7-8 at-large teams to realistically make the NIT, and would need to leapfrog about 20-25 at-large teams to realistically make the NCAAT, at which point they likely have better odds to win the conference tournament and automatically qualify (right now USF is ~4% chance to make the NCAAT)

NETTeamConferenceOverallNCAAT
18DaytonAtlantic 1017-31
19New MexicoMountain West17-42
20Utah St.Mountain West17-2AQ
21Saint Mary's (CA)WCC16-6AQ
23San Diego St.Mountain West14-53
24Indiana St.MVC18-3AQ
26GonzagaWCC15-54
29Fla. AtlanticAAC17-4AQ
32Colorado St.Mountain West14-55
42SMUAAC13-76
43PrincetonIvy League13-27
44Boise St.Mountain West13-68
47Grand CanyonWAC19-2AQ
53DrakeMVC17-49
59BradleyMVC15-610
60San FranciscoWCC16-611
62James MadisonSun Belt18-312
64McNeeseSouthland15-2AQ
65NevadaMountain West15-513
68RichmondAtlantic 1016-5AQ
69Louisiana TechCUSA13-6AQ
71St. BonaventureAtlantic 1013-714
73App StateSun Belt16-4AQ
74UC IrvineBig West15-6AQ
77MemphisAAC15-615
78North TexasAAC10-816
81CornellIvy League13-3AQ
84George MasonAtlantic 1014-617
85Saint Joseph'sAtlantic 1014-718
88MassachusettsAtlantic 1013-719
89SamfordSoCon17-3AQ
90AkronMAC14-5AQ
91YaleIvy League11-620
92VCUAtlantic 1013-821
96CharlotteAAC12-722
97Morehead St.OVC13-5AQ
98UNLVMountain West9-923
99UC San DiegoBig West13-724
100DuquesneAtlantic 1011-825
102VermontAmerica East15-5AQ
103Santa ClaraWCC14-826
105Youngstown St.Horizon13-627
107UNCWCAA12-628
108UNIMVC11-1029
109High PointBig South17-4AQ
110DrexelCAA14-8AQ
111Southern Ill.MVC13-830
112South Fla.AAC14-531
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HOOPS South Florida Extends Winning Streak to Six Games

South Florida Extends Winning Streak to Six Games



GREENVILLE, N.C. (January 31, 2024) – The University of South Florida men’s basketball team was back on the court on Wednesday for an American Athletic Conference matchup with East Carolina. Chris Youngblood finished with a game-high 20 points as South Florida defeated East Carolina 70-61.



The Bulls improved to 14-5 overall and 7-1 in AAC play, while the Pirates fell to 11-11 overall and 4-5 in conference action.



The Bulls extended their winning streak to six conference games, which ties the longest in program history. The last time USF won six conference games in a row was the 1991-92 season as a member of the Metro Conference.



South Florida started the season 14-5 for just the fifth time in program history. It is the first time since the 1990-91 campaign. The 7-1 start to conference play is the best in program history.



The Bulls came out of the gates strong with an 11-0 run. Brandon Stroud, Chris Youngblood, and Kasean Pryor each knocked down a 3-pointer. ECU answered with an 8-0 and cut the USF lead to 13-8 with 11:13 left until the break.



South Florida outscored East Carolina 9-6 over the next five minutes of play and extended its lead to 22-16. Selton Miguel drained a 3-pointer to put the Bulls up 25-20. After a 3-pointer from Youngblood, Knox recorded a highlight-reel dunk. Jayden Reid drove into the paint and kicked it to a cutting Knox. Knox elevated for an emphatic slam dunk. The Bulls held a 30-20 lead with 3:50 left until the break.



USF outscored ECU 10-8 to close out the half. South Florida took a 40-28 lead into the half.



The Pirates opened the second half with a 12-6 run and cut the Bulls’ lead to 48-40 with 13:02 left in the second half. The two sides traded baskets to make the score 50-42 in favor of South Florida.



The Bulls were unfazed and went on a 10-3 run and extended their lead to 60-45 with 7:58 left in regulation. During the run, Youngblood surpassed 1,500 career points.



The two sides traded seven points as South Florida took a 67-52 lead with 3:30 left to play. The Pirates outscored the Bulls 8-4 for the remainder of the game, but USF claimed a 71-60 victory.



Youngblood finished with a game-high 20 points to go along with a game-high six assists and one rebound. Miguel posted a 14-point performance with three rebounds and one steal. Pryor recorded his fifth double-double with 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. He added two blocks, two assists, and one steal.



Cam Hayes led ECU with 14 points with three steals, three assists, and one rebound. RJ Felton was the only other Pirate in double figures with 13 points. The USF defense held Felton below his season average. He added five rebounds with three steals and two blocks.



Notables

· The Bulls extended their winning streak to six conference games, which ties the longest in program history. The last time USF won six conference games in a row was the 1991-92 season as a member of the Metro Conference.

· South Florida started the season 14-5 for just the fifth time in program history. It is the first time since the 1990-91 campaign.

· The 7-1 start to conference play is the best in program history.

· For the third time this season, the Bulls finished with five guys in double figures.

· Youngblood finished with a game-high 20 points to go along with a game-high six assists and one rebound. Youngblood surpassed 1,500 career points.

· Miguel posted a 14-point performance with three rebounds and one steal. · Chris Youngblood went for 15 points and collected three rebounds with one assist.

· Pryor recorded his fifth double-double with 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. He added two blocks, two assists, and one steal.



Next Up

The Bulls stay on the road to start the month of February. South Florida takes on North Texas on Saturday, Feb. 3.The tip between the Bulls and Mean Green is slated for 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
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HOOPS RECRUITING What I'm hearing on Karter Knox's visit to USF

As expected the visit is going well. Kevin Knox Sr. didn't have much time to talk but he gave high marks to the USF staff for its hospitality.

"They spent the whole time with us. I mean we've been everywhere. Like, there's not a minute that we haven't spent together. This was different. They [USF] went overboard with this one," Knox Sr. said.

Putting together an itinerary for an official visit during the season when you have two-days to prepare for an opponent requires extra detailed planning than a weekend visit in September or October.

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Karter Knox and his parents will attend tonight's game against Maine then attend a post game meal with the coaching staff. The visit will officially end when the dinner concludes.

HOOPS Kasean Pryor earns AAC honor

No POW this week but still made the honor roll

IRVING, Texas – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly men’s basketball honors for the 12th week of the regular season.



PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Johnell Davis, Jr., G, Florida Atlantic


Davis aided the Owls to a pair of victories by averaging 21.0 points and 8.5 rebounds. He scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds against Rice on Wednesday before dropping 28 points, including a buzzer-beating 3-point field goal against North Texas on Sunday to keep Florida Atlantic in a tie for first place in The American’s standings.



FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK

PJ Haggerty, G, Tulsa


Haggerty led the Golden Hurricane to a win at Rice on Saturday with 21 points, five rebounds and four assists. It was Tulsa’s first road victory since February 19, 2022. 19 of his 21 points came in the second half against the Owls.



HONOR ROLL

Yaxel Lendeborg, Jr., F, UAB


Lendeborg averaged 17.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in two games for the Blazers, including a 23-point, 16-rebound performance in a win over No. 19 Memphis on Sunday.



Igor Milicic Jr, Jr., F, Charlotte

Milicic averaged 18.5 points and 8.5 rebounds as the 49ers defeated UAB and Tulane to stay in a tie for first place in The American’s standings.



RJ Felton, Jr., G, East Carolina

Felton averaged 17.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals in wins over Wichita State and Temple last week.



Jason Edwards, So., G, North Texas

Edwards averaged 19.0 points in two Mean Green contests last week, including 22 points in a win over local rival SMU on Thursday.




Kasean Pryor, Jr., F, South Florida


Pryor aided the Bulls to wins over Temple and UTSA by averaging 16.0 points and 6.0 rebounds.

HOOPS USF Headed North for a Matchup with ECU




TAMPA, Fla. (January 30, 2024) – The University of South Florida men's basketball team hits the road for an American Athletic Conference battle with East Carolina on Wednesday, January 31. The Bulls (13-4, 6-1 AAC) and the Pirates (11-10, 4-4 AAC) are slated for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPN+.



The 13-5 start is the best since the Bulls opened the season with a 13-5 mark for the 2001-02 campaign. It is just the sixth time in program history that USF has started 13-5 or better. The best starts in program history came during the 1980-81 and the 1982-83 seasons, where South Florida started 14-4.



Pryor on Fire

Earlier this week, Kasean Pryor was named to the AAC Honor Roll based on his performances against Temple and UTSA. For the week, he led the team with 16.0 points per game. He shot over 60 percent from the field (61.1%), from 3-point range (60.0%), and the free-throw line (1.000) across two games. He recorded a double-double in USF’s road win at Temple with 20 points and 10 rebounds. He added a steal. He finished with 12 points in the USF win against UTSA. For the season, he leads the team with 6.8 rebounds per contest. His 5.53 defensive rebounds per game are tied for 117th in the NCAA and seventh in the AAC. He is third on the squad averaging 12.6 points per game. He has a team-best 15 blocks. He is tied for the team lead with 22 steals. He has added 26 assists. He is shooting 83.6 percent from the free-throw line, which is tied for 123rd in the country and sixth in the conference.



‘Sel’ing Point

Selton Miguel is 163rd in the country with 2.28 3-pointers per game, which is seventh in the conference. He leads the team with 14.6 points per contest. He is fourth on the squad with 3.7 boards per game. He is third on the squad with 21 steals and is second on the team with 47 assists. He has added six blocks.



Bulls at a Glance


Chris Youngblood is second on the team lead with 14.2 points per game. He is averaging 2.6 rebounds per game to go along with 37 assists, 12 steals, and 11 blocks. He is shooting 82.1 percent from the free-throw line, which is tied for 169th in the country and is tied for eighth in the AAC. Jayden Reid leads the team with 67 assists. He is tied for 181st in the NCAA with 3.7 assists per game and is eighth in the AAC. He has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.68, which is tied for 53rd in the country, fourth in the conference, and sixth among NCAA freshmen. He is tied for the team lead with 22 steals. He averages 2.7 rebounds per game to go along with 7.2 points per contest. Kobe Knox is tied for second on the team with 11 blocks. He averages 8.7 points per game and 3.2 rebounds per game.



Strong Bench


South Florida’s bench is 33rd in the NCAA and second in the conference averaging 28.06 points per contest. The USF bench has outscored its opponent's bench 505-340. Opposing benches are averaging just 18.89 points per game.



Cashing in on Free Opportunities

The Bulls are tied for 37th in the NCAA and fifth in the conference with 16.6 made free throws per game. USF is tied for 54th in the country with 22.4 free-throw attempts per game, which is sixth in the AAC.



Fast and Furious


The Bulls have been playing stout defense and are tied for 37th in the NCAA with a turnover margin of 3.1, which is second in the conference. South Florida is tied for 77th in the country with 13.61 forced turnovers per contest, which is fourth in the AAC. USF has used the turnovers to lead to fastbreak opportunities. The Bulls are 84th in the nation with 12.28 fastbreak points per game, which is seventh in the conference.



Last Time Out


Five South Florida players finished in double figures as the Bulls slowed down the Roadrunners with an 89-72 victory. USF recorded a program record 18 3-pointers, which is a record that has stood since December 7, 1991. The Bulls tied the record earlier this season with a 14-point performance against Alabama State on December 29, 2023. The 18 3-pointers are the second most in an AAC conference game this season and are tied for the 20th most in a single game in the NCAA this year. Kobe Knox tied a season-high with 18 points as notched a season-best three 3-pointers with a 3-for-4 game from long distance. He added a game-high four blocks, which was a season-best. He brought down five rebounds with two assists and two steals. It was his seventh game in double figures this season. Jose Placer added a 16-point performance while shooting 4-for-6 from 3-point range. He added four assists and two rebounds. Selton Miguel and Chris Youngblood each tallied 15 points. Miguel finished with a game-high six assists and one rebound. Youngblood collected three rebounds with one assist. Kasean Pryor closed out the double-digit scorers with 12 points to go along with two rebounds and an assist. Brandon Stroud produced a monster game on the glass with a season-high 12 rebounds. He chipped in with seven points and four assists. He was a perfect 2-for-2 from the field, 1-for-1 from 3-point range, and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line.



History with ECU

USF and ECU will meet for the 27th time on Wednesday. The Bulls lead the series 14-12. The Pirates won the last meeting 73-58 in the AAC Tournament last season. South Florida is 6-7 in games played in Greenville, North Carolina.



Scouting the Pirates

ECU is tough against the 3-pointer and is holding opponents to 30.0 percent from long range, which is tied for 32nd in the NCAA and tied for second in the AAC. The Pirates are strong on the offensive glass with 12.81 offensive rebounds per game, which is 40th in the nation and fourth in the conference. ECU is tied for 59th in the country with a turnover ratio of 2.3, which is fourth in the league. RJ Felton leads the team with 16.2 points per game and is second on the squad with 6.4 rebounds per game. He paces the team with 42 steals and 16 blocks. His 42 steals are tied for 38th in the NCAA and third in the conference. His 2.00 steals per game are tied for 51st in the country and tied for fourth in the AAC. He has dished out 23 assists. Ezra Ausar is second on the team with 13.6 points a game. He is second in the league with 150 free throw attempts, which is tied for 18th in the nation. He has made 101 free throws, which is second in the conference and 38th in the country. He averages 5.4 rebounds per contest with 18 assists, 18 steals, and 10 blocks. Brandon Johnson rounds out the double-digit scorers with 13.5 points a game. He averages 8.7 rebounds per game, which is tied for 54th in the NCAA and third in the AAC. He has recorded seven double-doubles, which is tied for 40th in the nation and second in the conference. Bobby Pettiford Jr. leads the team with 76 assists. He is tied for 21st in the country with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.17, which is the best in the league. He averages 8.3 points per game and 2.4 rebounds per game.



Tale of the Tape

USF
Category
ECU
76.7
POINTS PER GAME​
70.0​
70.3
OPP. POINTS PER GAME​
68.0​
.435
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE​
.419​
.425
OPP. FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE​
.429​
.349
3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE​
.302​
.321
OPP. 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE​
.300​
.740
FREE THROW PERCENTAGE​
.697​
36.4
REBOUNDS PER GAME​
36.2​
-0.9
REBOUNDING MARGIN​
1.2​
14.9
ASSISTS PER GAME​
11.1​
10.6
TURNOVERS PER GAME​
10.8​
3.0
TURNOVER MARGIN​
1.0​
7.0
STEALS PER GAME​
8.0​
3.3
BLOCKS PER GAME​
2.7​


American Athletic Conference Standings (as of January 29)

1. Florida Atlantic – 17-4, 7-1

2. Charlotte – 13-7, 7-1

3. South Florida – 13-5, 6-1

4. UAB – 13-7, 5-2

5. North Texas – 12-7. 5-2

6. Memphis – 15-5, 4-3

7. SMU – 13-7, 4-3

8. ECU – 11-10, 4-4

9. Tulane – 12-8, 3-5

10. Tulsa – 11-8, 2-5

11. UTSA – 8-13, 2-6

12. Wichita State – 9-11, 1-6

13. Rice – 7-13, 1-6

14. Temple – 8-13, 1-7



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FOOTBALL RECRUITING 2024 AAC Games Against the Power 5

Below are each teams games against P5 schools next season:
  • Army - none
  • Charlotte - at North Carolina, at Indiana
  • East Carolina - none
  • Florida Atlantic - at Michigan State
  • Memphis - at Florida State
  • Navy - vs. Notre Dame (East Rutherford, NJ)
  • North Texas - at Texas Tech
  • Rice - at Houston
  • Temple - at Oklahoma
  • Tulane - Kansas State
  • Tulsa - Oklahoma State
  • UAB - at Arkansas
  • South Florida - at Alabama, Miami (FL)
  • UTSA - at Texas
USF has 10 games against P5 teams over the next 6 years (4 home, 6 away) - this is where Michael Kelly has done his best work

HOOPS South Florida Set a New Record for 3-Pointers in Victory



TAMPA, Fla. (January 27, 2024) – The University of South Florida men’s basketball team returned to the Yuengling Center for an American Athletic Conference contest with UTSA on Saturday. Kobe Knox led USF with 18 points. Five South Florida players finished in double figures as the Bulls slowed down the Roadrunners with an 89-72 victory.



USF recorded a program record 18 3-pointers, which is a record that has stood since December 7, 1991. The Bulls tied the record earlier this season with a 14-point performance against Alabama State on December 29, 2023. The 18 3-pointers are the second most in an AAC conference game this season and are tied for the 20th most in a single game in the NCAA this year.



The Bulls have started 13-5 for just the seventh time in program history. It is the first since the 2001-02 season that USF has started 13-5. The Bulls have started 13-5 five times now and have started 14-4 twice. The 6-1 start to conference play ties the best start in program history. The only other time the Bulls started conference play 6-1 was in the 2000-01 season as a member of the Conference USA. For the third time this season, the Bulls finished with five guys in double figures.



The Bulls started the game fast with an 8-4 run that ended with back-to-back 3-pointers from Kasean Pryor and Brandon Stroud. South Florida extended its lead to 17-6 with a 9-2 run. After Knox made a free throw, Jose Placer found Pryor for the alley-oop. Chris Youngblood and Placer drained back-to-back 3-pointers to end the run.



UTSA went outscored USF 12-11 over the next four minutes of play and cut the deficit to 30-18 with 7:22 left until the break. Selton Miguel found Corey Walker Jr. for the alley-oop on an inbound pass to start the scoring.



The Roadrunners cut the deficit to eight, 36-28, with just over three minutes left in the half. The Bulls were unfazed and responded with an 8-2 run to close out the half. Miguel drained a 3-pointer for the last basket of the half as the Bulls took a 44-30 lead into the break.



USF opened the second half with three 3-pointers one each from Knox, Pryor, and Miguel, as the Bulls extended their lead to 53-37. South Florida added a 12-7 run, capped off by back-to-back 3-pointers from Knox. The Bulls extended its lead to 65-44 with 12:09 left in regulation.



The two sides combined for 12 points, but the Bulls held a 71-52 lead with 7:56 left to play. During that stretch, Placer knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to break the single-game record with 3-pointers with 15 as a team.



It was a back-and-forth battle for the next four minutes of play as the Bulls combined for 13 points with two more 3-pointers, one by Youngblood and one from Miguel. The Roadrunners utilized two 3-pointers from Jordan Ivy-Curry as the team scored 12 points. USF extended its lead to 20, 84-64, with 3:54 left to play.



The Roadrunners closed out the game on an 8-5 run, but the early lead from the Bulls was too much to overcome. During the closing minutes, Placer knocked down his fourth 3-pointer on the day and gave South Florida a total of 18 for the game. South Florida claimed an 89-72 win.



Knox tied a season-high with 18 points as notched a season-best three 3-pointers with a 3-for-4 game from long distance. He added a game-high four blocks, which was a season-best. He brought down five rebounds with two assists and two steals. It was his seventh game in double figures this season. Placer added a 16-point performance while shooting 4-for-6 from 3-point range. He added four assists and two rebounds. Miguel and Youngblood each tallied 15 points. Miguel finished with a game-high six assists and one rebound. Youngblood collected three rebounds with one assist. Pryor closed out the double-digit scorers with 12 points to go along with two rebounds and an assist. Stroud produced a monster game on the glass with a season-high 12 rebounds. He chipped in with seven points and four assists. He was a perfect 2-for-2 from the field, 1-for-1 from 3-point range, and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line.



As a unit, the Bulls dished out 25 assists, the second most on the season.



Jordan Ivy-Curry recorded a game-high 23 points and was the lone player in double digits for UTSA. He added five rebounds and two assists. Massal Diouf led the team with six rebounds.



Notables

· USF recorded a program record 18 3-pointers, which is a record that has stood since December 7, 1991. The Bulls tied the record earlier this season with a 14-point performance against Alabama State on December 29, 2023.

· The 18 3-pointers are the second most in an AAC conference game this season and are tied for the 20th most in a single game in the NCAA.

· The Bulls have started 13-5 for just the seventh time in program history. It is the first since the 2001-02 season that USF has started 13-5. The Bulls have started 13-5 five times now and have started 14-4 twice.

· The 6-1 start to conference play ties the best start in program history. The only other time the Bulls started conference play 6-1 was in the 2000-01 season as a member of the Conference USA.

· For the third time this season, the Bulls finished with five guys in double figures.

· Kobe Knox tied a season-high with 18 points as notched a season-best three 3-pointers with a 3-for-4 game from long distance. He added a game-high four blocks, which was a season-best. He brought down five rebounds with two assists and two steals. It was his seventh game in double figures this season.

· Jose Placer added a 16-point performance while shooting 4-for-6 from 3-point range. He added four assists and two rebounds. It was his fourth game in double digits this season.

· Selton Miguel posted 15 points, a season-high six assists, and one rebound.

· Chris Youngblood went for 15 points and collected three rebounds with one assist.

· Kasean Pryor closed out the double-digit scorers with 12 points to go along with two rebounds and an assist.

· Brandon Stroud produced a monster game on the glass with a season-high 12 rebounds. He chipped in with seven points and four assists. He was a perfect 2-for-2 from the field, 1-for-1 from 3-point range, and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line.



Next Up

South Florida heads north for a matchup with East Carolina on Wednesday, January 31. The Bulls and Pirates are scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPN+.

HOOPS UTSA at South Florida (-9.5) Game Thread

The Bulls are giving 9.5 points to the Road Runners today, with an over/under set at 158.5. All 6 of USF's conference games have been decided by single digits so giving nearly double digits feels like a stretch. 6 of 7 of UTSA's conference games have gone to OT or been decided by single digits. However, the over at 158.5 seems to be the play as the total for UTSA's last 5 games has been 177, 182 (not including OT), 185, 124, and 186 (not including OT). Expect lots of offense.

Pick: over 158.5
Lean: UTSA +9.5


Below are the NET Rankings for the AAC heading into today - 4 of USF's 6 toughest remaining games are at home.

NET
Team
Record
Confer
Future USF Opp.
28​
#22 Fla. Atlantic
16-4​
6-1​
Home
35​
SMU
13-6​
4-2​
Home
58​
#19 Memphis
15-4​
4-2​
74​
North Texas
12-6​
5-1​
Away​
99​
Charlotte
12-7​
6-1​
Home/Away​
113​
Tulane
12-7​
3-4​
Home
122​
South Fla.
12-5​
5-1​
153​
UAB
12-7​
4-2​
160​
Wichita St.
8-11​
0-6​
186​
East Carolina
10-10​
3-4​
Away​
192​
Tulsa
10-8​
1-5​
Home/Away​
239​
Rice
7-12​
1-5​
Away​
247​
Temple
8-12​
1-6​
276​
UTSA
8-12​
2-5​
Home/Away​
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