An interesting challenge this week with Navy. They’ll need the D to continue to play well to have a shot today.

Before the game, the Bulls will unveil the 2023-24 AAC Championship banner



TAMPA, Fla. (November 10, 2024) – The University of South Florida men’s basketball team will be inside the friendly confines of the Yuengling Center for the first time of the 2024-25 season as Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Tuesday, November 12. The Bulls will unveil the 2023-24 American Athletic Conference regular season championship banner before the game. USF and UAPB are scheduled for a 7 p.m. jump on ESPN+.



There will be a student tailgate outside of Gate D. The first 200 students will receive a voucher for free food. The party starts at 5 p.m. and features a DJ, a gaming truck, and lawn games.



The first 2,500 fans will receive a mini-replica championship banner.



Stout Long-Range Defense

The Bulls have held opponents to 23.4 percent from 3-point range. USF is tied for 40th in the NCAA and leads the AAC in 3-point defense.



Making it Count at the Line

The Bulls are tied for 56th in the country with a free-throw percentage of 77.8 and are second in the AAC.



Getting Out in Transition

South Florida ranks 46th in the nation and third in the conference with 20.0 fastbreak points per game.



Looking at the Bulls

Kasen Jennings leads the team with 14.5 points per game. He has dished out five assists, brought down three rebounds, and has one steal. Quincy Ademokoya is second on the squad, averaging 11.0 points per game. He has one block, one steal, and has collected four rebounds. Jamille Reynolds is averaging 10.5 points per game. He is averaging 4.5 rebounds per game to go along with one assist. Brandon Stroud is leading the team with 7.5 rebounds per game. De’Ante Green is second on the team with 5.5 rebounds per game. CJ Brown has a team-high two blocks.



History with Arkansas-Pine Bluff

The Bulls and the Golden Lions will meet for the third time on Tuesday. South Florida has won the previous two meetings, including a 104-86 victory inside the YC on December 12, 2023. The Bulls are 2-0 inside the Yuengling Center.



Scouting the Golden Lions

Christian Moore paces the team with 12.7 points per game and has a team-high nine steals. He is second on the team with eight assists. Klemen Vuga is second on the team with 11.0 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game. Dante Sawyer rounds out the double-digit scorers with 10.7 a game. Robert Lewis leads the team with 8.7 rebounds a game and in blocks with five. He is averaging 9.3 points per game. Zach Reinhart has a team-high 11 assists.



Tale of the Tape



Follow Live

Watch: ESPN+

Live Stats: statbroadcast.com

Listen: Bulls Unlimited

Tickets: ticketmaster.com

Atkins moves into third on USF’s all-time receiving yards chart



TAMPA, FLA., NOV. 9, 2024 – The day after breaking ground on a $340-million on-campus stadium set to open in 2027, South Florida (4-5; 2-3 American) saw its defense provide opportunities and its offense struggle in a 28-7 loss to Navy (7-2; 5-1 American) in Raymond James Stadium.



For the second-straight year, the Bulls went down 14-0 early to Navy before the defense found its footing and stopped the Midshipmen on five straight first half possessions. But the USF offense couldn’t get going and a Navy score in the closing seconds of the half found the Bulls in a 21-0 deficit at the break. The defense held Navy scoreless in the third quarter, but USF also didn’t score in the quarter and a fake punt set up an early fourth quarter Midshipmen score that put the game away.



Navy collected three costly USF turnovers, scoring touchdowns after two, and outgained the Bulls 321 to 60 on the ground. The USF defense forced seven punts and got a turnover of its own, but the Bulls didn’t get on the board until their last possession of the game.



USF quarterback Bryce Archie finished 26-of-43 passing for a career-best 282 yards and a touchdown, but had two interceptions and a fumble as USF saw four of its five longest drives on the day end in a turnover or turnover on downs. Wide receiver Sean Atkins collected seven receptions for 70 yards and moved into third all-time on the USF career receiving yards chart with 1,871 yards, passing Tyre McCants (1,856). Linebacker Jhalyn Shuler led the Bulls with nine tackles, his third time in the last four games doing so, while adding a sack, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.



The Bulls went down 14-0 after Navy’s first two possessions. Navy opened the scoring with a 60-yard touchdown run by running back Eli Heidenreich on the fourth play of the game. The Midshipmen had barely gained a first down on 3rd-and-short on the prior play, but took the early 7-0 lead when the left side opened up for Heidenreich following the first down.



The Bulls moved into Navy territory with a 37-yard Archie pass to JeyQuan Smith, but two plays later Archie was intercepted at the Navy 21. The Midshipmen capitalized, driving 79 yards and making it 14-0 with a 20-yard touchdown run by Brandon Chatman.



From there, the USF defense stiffened. Shuler put a big hit on Navy quarterback Blake Horvath at midfield forcing a fumble. Decarius Hawthorne recovered at the USF49, energizing the Bulls’ sideline.



Archie drove USF to the Navy 32, where the Bulls went for it on 4th-and-5 but saw Archie sacked for a loss and the Navy offense come back on the field.



The Bulls forced punts on Navy’s next four possessions, limiting the Midshipmen to 43 yards on a string of five-straight possessions, as the USF offense worked to find its rhythm. That nearly happened on a deep Archie toss to Michael Brown-Stephens well behind the Navy defense, but the receiver was unable to corral the catch.



Archie was intercepted on a deep pass on the Bulls’ final possession of the half. Ira Oniha returned it 36 yards to the Navy 47. Two plays later, the Midshipmen made USF pay as Horvath hit Alex Tecza on a short pass and the fullback weaved his way to a 38-yard touchdown that sent Navy to the locker room leading 21-0.



Early in the third quarter, Archie picked up 35 yards on a keeper off a zone read to get the Bulls into Navy territory. But two plays later he was sacked and fumbled ending another USF drive with a turnover.



With the USF defense holding the Midshipmen through the third quarter, Navy lined up for a punt on 4th-and-2 early in the fourth quarter. The snap went to 278-pound nose guard Landon Robinson who rumbled 34 yards to the USF18 on the fake. Four plays later, quarterback Blake Horvath ran 10 yards around the right side for a touchdown that made it 28-0 with 11:45 to play.



USF kept punching as Archie hit Smith with a 48-yard pass to the Navy 13. But five plays later, the Bulls had a 4th-and-2 from the 5 and Archie was stopped short on a quarterback keeper. The Bulls prevented the shutout on their last drive as Archie moved USF 75 yards and hit Brown-Stephens for a 13-yard touchdown.



KEY STATS

• The USF defense forced a fumble and four punts on five straight first half possessions after going down 14-0, but the offense was unable to get on the board as Navy outgained USF 255-105 in the first half.

• Navy won the ground game, outgaining USF 321 to 60 in rushing yards and controlling possession – 38:32 to 21:8

• Four of the Bulls five longest drives on the day ended with a turnover.



NOTABLES

• LB Jhalyn Shuler led for the third time in the last four games, posting 9 tackles. He added a sack, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Shuler missed three games and most of two others in the Bulls’ first five games of the year due to injury.

• WR Sean Atkins had seven catches, extending his streak of 22 straight games with at least three receptions, and his 70 yards on the day moved him into third on USF’s career receiving yards chart with 1,871.

• WR Keshaun Singleton posted a career-best five receptions, logging 58 yards on the catches, while WR JayQuan Smith had a career-best 85 yards receiving on two catches.



UP NEXT

The Bulls head to Charlotte next Saturday for their second-to-last road game of the season. The game will kick off at 3:30 p.m.and be broadcast on ESPN+. It will mark the second-ever meeting between the programs and first in Charlotte. USF posted a 48-14 victory in Tampa last season.

hard rock

USF has 2 get right games at home coming up against Arkansas Pine Bluff and West Georgia. Once again this was smart scheduling by CAAR and ADMK. They had to assume that those first 2 games would be tough and just in case neither went in the favor of the Bulls, a couple of pain relief games would fix all that is wrong. While I don't think these game will fix all the coaching issues, they can fix one of the main things and that is the rotation. This is the perfect opportunity for CBF to man up and make some changes in the starting lineup and use the minutes more wisely.

I would sit Jayden Reid in favor of CJ Brown, similar to how CAAR would do with Placer and Reid last season. CAAR was very hard on his PGs because he knew how important that position was to having a good offense. Reid is trying to do more than his physical body is capable of and live up to his preseason All AAC 3rd team rankings. He might can get there, but CJ Brown is more talented and playing smarter, and harder right now. The true freshman is my starter at PG. Also it is time for Kobe Knox to be booted out of his overly secure starting job. Karter Knox is in Arkansas and CAAR isn't here to maybe run sets for him to gain confidence. I'll start Quincy Ademokoya in place of Kobe Knox. Jimmie Williams needs more playing time and should be the first guard off the bench. He can sub for Jennings and/or Q. Jimmie seems like the type that needs to be in the flow of the game consistently to get the best out of him. No reason why he isn't getting 20 minutes per game and getting up at least 10 shots with the way he is capable of scoring. The coaches need to give him a specific role like Miguel had last season and let Jimmie cook. Same thing apply to Green. He needs to start over the wild playing Stroud. One of the things that USF was known for last season was a great scoring bench led by Miguel and either Reid or Placer. Get back to that.

Starters
CJ Brown
Jennings
Quincy
Green
Reynolds

Bench
Reid
Williams(6th man)
Knox
Stroud

Minutes as needed
Walker
Wright

Also if Reynolds proves to hard to coach and lazy of defense, he can be replaced as a starter and USF can go small at the 5 by starting Green or Walker there which puts Stroud back in the starting lineup. The interior defense needs to get better and sometimes having size doesn't matter if you don't know how to use it. I'm thinking these next 2 games at home where the team can feel the love will help them settle down and play to their capabilities.

Big game for the Bulls tonight and a tough matchup.

In the very words on the Head Coach Kevin Sampson, there are 3 people that can never have a bad day if you want to be a great team.
1. Head Coach
2. Point Guard
3. Best Player

In the matchup against Florida, all three of those were bad and that is why they lost. I watched part of the Jacksonville at Florida game and frankly the Dolphins played better in certain parts of the game where the Bulls struggled.

The Bulls gave up 59 second half points to the Gators and it could have been more but Florida stopped trying to score in the last minute of that game. Jacksonville only allowed the Gators to score 35 points in the 2nd half in Gainesville.

USF has to keep their turnovers down, play fast but play under control. They cannot give up 24 points off of mistakes on the road or they will be run right out of the state of South Carolina. USF must contain CAA Preseason Player of the Year Ante Brzovic, not stop him, but hold him down. So the game comes down to coaching adjustments, better play from Reid, limit turnovers, and contain Brzovic. How well the Bulls do those things will determine the outcome of this game.

My score prediction( hopefully I'm wrong on the winner)
USF 75
CofC 81

CHARLESTON, S.C. (November 8, 2024) – The University of South Florida men’s basketball team was back on the court for a road game with the College of Charleston on Friday. The Bulls had three players finish in double digits but fell to the Cougars 86-71.



South Florida fell to 0-2 on the season, while the College of Charleston improved to 2-0.



The Bulls got the game's first points on a dunk by Jamille Reynolds.



The Cougars followed with a 6-0 run and took a 6-2 lead into the first media timeout. South Florida was unfazed as Quincy Ademokoya drained a 3-pointer and gave the Bulls a 10-8 lead.



The College of Charleston extended its lead to 29-24, which was the Cougars' largest lead in the first half, with just over three minutes left to play in the half. The Bulls were resilient and battled within one, 33-32, as the game went to the break.



Ademokoya had a team-high 10 points at the half. As a team, South Florida held the College of Charleston to 18.2 percent from 3-point range.



The Cougars opened the second half with an 11-0 run and extended their lead to 44-32. The College of Charleston stretched out its lead to 17, 63-46, with just over nine minutes left in regulation.



The Bulls continued to battle and cut the deficit to 12, 73-61, with 4:34 left on the clock. South Florida never gave up but could not overcome the double-digit deficit. College of Charleston claimed an 86-71 victory.



Ademokoya and Kasen Jennings tied for a team-high 14 points. Ademokoya and Jennings added two rebounds. Jennings dished out a team-high four assists. CJ Brown tallied a career-high 11 points to go along with three rebounds. Brandon Stroud brought down a team-best nine rebounds to go along with six points.



Ante Brzovic, the CAA Preseason Player of the Year, led all scorers with 34 points, with nine rebounds and four assists. CJ Fulton finished with 16 points, while Deywilk Tavarez added 12.



Notables

· Quincy Ademokoya has gone for double-digit points in back-to-back games.

· Kasen Jennings posted back-to-back games with double-digit points.

· CJ Brown produced his first game in double digits.



Up Next

The Bulls are back on the court for the home opener on November 12. South Florida welcomes Arkansas-Pine Bluff for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPN+.

Tough road match up for our Bulls at a good Charleston team.

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Locklan Hewlett
Eli jones
Brooks Williams
Brandon Kubay
Gavin Jenkins (OV)
CJ Jenkins***
Jermichael Gillis
Christian Smith - Harrison HS****
Christian Hudson
Kendall Guervill
Kam Cullins
Jabari Smith
CJ Cresser
Jaylen White
Kory Pettigrew
Brady Marcheese
Kekua Aumua
Julius Miles
Xavier Payne
Brunno Reus
Alex Nocco***
Jaydin Broadnax
Evan Harvey

TAMPA, Fla. (Nov. 7, 2024) –The University of South Florida today announced a $1 million gift which will go toward the university’s new on-campus stadium. This significant financial investment comes from the Gonzmart Family Foundation, just one day before the university breaks ground on the transformational project.



The Gonzmarts, who are committed to education and ensuring all students have opportunities to learn and grow outside of the classroom, believe this gift is in perfect alignment with that goal.



The family foundation’s officers are brothers Richard Gonzmart and Casey Gonzmart Sr., Richard’s daughter Andrea Gonzmart Williams and Casey’s son, Casey Gonzmart Jr. They represent the fourth- and fifth-generation owners of the 1905 Family Of Restaurants, which includes the historic Columbia Restaurant.



“The Gonzmart family has contributed to the University of South Florida in so many ways, and we are truly grateful for their generous gift to the on-campus stadium project, which will significantly enhance the gameday experience for our students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members alike,” USF President Rhea Law said. “Their family’s impact in the Tampa Bay region is immeasurable, and we greatly appreciate their continued support.”



For Richard Gonzmart, the gift is a symbol of his family’s support of initiatives that bring positive change for the community.



Richard learned the importance of giving back from his parents. Through the Gonzmart Family Foundation and additional funding provided by Richard Gonzmart and Andrea Gonzmart Williams, the family has established three endowed funds and supports dozens of students each year through USF’s Latino Scholarship Program. In addition to their scholarships, the Gonzmarts have a long history of supporting USF Athletics; both Richard Gonzmart and Andrea Gonzmart Williams are Iron Bull supporters.



Richard Gonzmart is an emeritus member of the USF Foundation Board of Directors and serves on a number of boards in the Tampa Bay community. In 2022, USF awarded him an honorary doctorate in business administration. His daughter, Andrea Gonzmart Williams, is a 2001 graduate of USF and currently serves on the USF Foundation Board of Directors and is a member of the Latin Community Advisory Council Presidential Advisory Committee.



“It has been wonderful to see the growth of our city and the University of South Florida,” Richard Gonzmart said. “This new on-campus stadium will deepen that connection and provide a world-class experience for students, alumni and the Tampa Bay region. Our family believes in USF’s mission and is thrilled to help positively shape the future.”



The on-campus stadium is set to open in 2027 and will provide a unique, vibrant, shared campus experience that will contribute to the culture, spirit and connectedness of the university. The Gonzmart Family’s gift is helping to bring that vision to life.



“The Gonzmart family has always stepped up to support the Tampa community, including USF,” said USF Foundation CEO Jay Stroman. “This gift to the on-campus stadium is a continuation of that legacy, and we are thankful for their commitment to this transformative project that will positively and forever change the landscape of our university.”



To view this story on the USF Newsroom website, click here.

This is a BIG deal for USF and Ben Fletcher to show he can still get the job done without CAAR. To my knowledge Cade was the last HS recruit to visit with CAAR before he eventually went for emergency surgery that ended in his passing. Cade posted about the experience. Bannerman is a 6-11 HS Center and the #1 player in the state of Tennessee. To my knowledge the last official visit he took was to USF and went to the home of CAAR. It appears that he might have visited USF twice, once in early Sept and again a little over a week ago. That's usually a sign that you get that prospect.

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Will USF be adding an additional assistant coach?
I would think we would need to replace the position CBF vacated. Of course a delicate balance of adding someone into the mix at this point and the circumstances this team is dealing with on a day to day basis.

Was there a post game conference? Would like to hear what CBF had to say after the game.

Kam Cullins from North Cobb HS just reopened after being committed to SMU then GT.

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USF has visited four players official mid-season they have a commitment from one already, Tayte Crable (Hoban- Akron, OH) was the first to commit and it is possible the Bulls could go 4 for 4 on these kids come December.

I have LB Gavin Leach (Castle- Newburgh, IN) on flip watch from Toledo to USF after his OV this past weekend to Tampa. Imagine being a dude living in Indiana coming to Tampa, it is an easy sell.

RB target Tray Kinkle (Holly Springs, MS) is very close to a decision and the Bulls wowed him on his OV last week.

RB target Kentrell Rinehart (Westland- Galloway, OH) visited during Crable's visit weekend and he is someone I'm watching closely as well to see if the Bulls can pull off the flip.

LB target Darien Whitaker (Boys Town, NE) committed to Kansas State following his OV to the Little Apple last weekend. The Bulls will continue working him.

WR target Carl Jenkins (St. Augustine, FL) is still a priority and he is getting worked every day by his QB Locklan Hewlett.

Armwood LB Kellen Wiley Jr. was a major target, I think that ship has sailed, though Wiley may end up in a JUCO if he doesn't get in the books hard.

WR commit Korey Pettigrew (Perry, GA) is still a hot target for Georgia Tech, but he still speaks very highly of USF and says he is still committed.

DE Wilnerson Telemaque (Monsignor Pace- Opa Locka, FL) decommitted from Wisconsin this week. The Bulls have always been down his list a little, but he has been on campus A LOT. He is a guy I could see going somewhere and bouncing back in the portal later.

A few days later and I’m still in awe…..wowser!



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The season starts tomorrow and so it's time to start talking about it here.

A preview from Joey Johnson , click the link below.
The Bulls’ Season of Resilience

I'm not going to look back because we all know about the shocking news on Coach Amir Abdur Rahim and that loss will be felt for years throughout the USF community. However, we have a season to play and it's a season that CAAR was really excited about, so we should be excited about it too, seeing that is what he would want. Obviously there were a record number of season tickets bought and for good reason coming off a historic 2023-24 season that produced some first for the program.
* 25 wins was a school record
* First time conference regular season champions
* 16 wins in conference
* Undefeated at home in league play
* 15 game win streak that was the best in the nation at one point
* First Top 25 ranking in school history

Last season was historically and the most fun ever in men's college basketball. Thank you CAAR and the team.

Going into the 2024 - 25 season, the Bulls look to repeat as AAC regular season champions. They were picked to finish 3rd behind UAB and Memphis. The College basketball pundits were high on the Bulls before the death of CAAR, and have since cooled on their predicted outcome to the season a little. Ben Fletcher is taking over in an Interim coach role and no one knows the psyche of our players. However I think the psyche of our players will be what powers them to another winning season. They are highly motivated to dedicate this season to CAAR. I'm not sure about Coach Ben Fletcher just yet, and I admit a veteran coach on the bench to help him would be ideal imo. However that may be just me being comfortable going into the season.

USF loss 4 important players from last season's roster, 3 guards and a F/C. Gone are Chris Youngblood, Selton Miguel, Jose Placer, and Kasean Pryor. Trying to replace their production and leadership will come from Guards Kasen Jennings, Jimmie Williams, CJ Brown(Fresh), Kameren Wright(Fresh), and Quincy Ademokoya. Forwards/Center De'Ante Green, Jaylen Wharton, and Jamille Reynolds. Key Returning players are Jayden Reid, Kobe Knox, Brandon Stroud, and Corey Walker Jr.

This is a deeper, more physical and athletic team then last season. The major question is who will be the consistent offensive threats? Last season we could count on the Big 3 knowing that at least 2 of them would have good games, and when all 3 played well, USF didn't lose to anybody. This season our offensive production will have to come from a bigger committee of players. Jayden Reid is expected to have a much larger role as a scorer and just as important, as a team leader. I believe he will excel in both roles, especially once he learns and trusts in his teammates. That might not fully come until USF gets closer to league play. This non-conference schedule is there to help the team gel and gain confidence in many areas that will serve them going into AAC play.


Nov. 4th - #21 Florida Gators(Jacksonville) - This is a game I kind of wish was played later than at the beginning. Florida might be better this season because they are actually putting more energy into defense instead of looking at out-score teams. They can still score at a good rate, but so far in the preseason they appear to be much better on defense. A good comparison to this season's Florida Gators is last season's FAU team that USF beat in a trilling game in the YC. In fact Alijah Martin who was the starting SG on that Owls is now starting for the Gators.

Nov. 8 - College of Charleston(away) - Very tough road test early. CoC is breaking in a new team and a new coach Chris Mack. Gone are the players and head coach that led them to back to back NCAAT appearance, Pat Kelsey who is now at UL took his best players from CofC with him to Louisville, and tampered(recruited) Kasean Pryor from USF too. However Chris Mack still managed to put together a good roster despite the losses, but what makes Charleston tough at home is their fans pack out the place. Charleston is really one of the model Mid-Majors that USF hopes to become. They are a winning, coach promoting, high fan support college basketball program. This WILL BE A TOUGH GAME to win on the road. for these new Bulls. One Side note: CAAR was an associate coach and recruiting coordinator there when he was 32 years old.

Nov. 12 - UAPB (home) - Nice uniform colors but not much else. This should be a lopsided home win for USF.

Nov. 15 - West Georgia (home) - Should be another home win where the team can start feeling pretty good about themselves.

Nov. 21 - Portland (Myrtle Beach Invitational) - finished 6th in the WCC last season and had an overall record of 12 - 21 (5-11). They will be counting on 8 freshmen(some redshirt), 11 newcomers all together this season. Expect some growing pains for the Pilots. USF should win this game to open tournament play.

Nov. 22, 24 - Myrtle Beach Invitational continues, Opponent TBD. There are 8 teams participating in this event. The other 6 teams are Bradley, Middle Tenn, Ohio, Princeton, Texas St, and Wright St Besides USF, keep an eye out for the Ohio Bobcats(picked to win the MAC), Bradley Braves(picked to win the MVC), and Princeton(Picked to win the Ivy League). Nice mid-major competition for all involved. If USF can go undefeated in this tournament it will be HUGE!

Dec. 03 - Stetson(home): The Hatters are coming off a trip to the NCAAT for the 1st time in school history by winning the ASUN. Old foe Donnie Jones coaches them so you know he will have a talented squad being a proven recruiter. This will be a tough home game and the Bulls will need their crowd to help. I'm sure a good amount of Stetson's fans will be at the YC. This will be a good game to watch.

Dec. 07 - Loyola Chicago(home) - The Ramblers picked to finish 4th in the tough A10. They are coached by Drew Valentine who guided his team to a winning season after having a horrible 2022-23 season where they finished last in league play. As a whole the A10 is supposed to be better this season, and the Ramblers are predicted to finish 5th. Remember it was an A10 team that ended USF's story book season in the NIT, because they were distracted. The Bulls will have to come to play from start to finish if they want to win and avoid the home upset.

Dec. 14 - Utah State(away) - Loved watching them play last season and their PF Great Osobor(love the name). As the defending MVC, the Aggies went 28-7 last season and won a game in the NCAAT. They enjoy a home atmosphere that would make any HM team jealous. Their fans show up and pack the house and are very loud! Utah State lost a lot off that team including HC Danny Sprinkle(Washington) who is one of the best head coaches in college basketball. Utah State is expected to finish 6th in the MVC this upcoming season, but that league plays a good brand of basketball from top to bottom. This is a TALL TASK on the road.

Dec. 18 - Bethune-Cookman(home) - Cupcake, time to eat a little before conference play
Dec. 21 - Texas A&M Commerce(home) - Cupcake, time to eat a little before conference play
Dec. 28- Webber International(home) - Cupcake, time to eat a little before conference play

The Bulls open the season with four players in double figures for the second straight year.



JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (November 4, 2024) – The University of South Florida men’s basketball team opened the 2024-25 campaign in Jacksonville against No. 21 Florida on Monday. The Bulls finished with four players in double figures. South Florida battled for 40 minutes but fell to Florida 98-83.



The Bulls opened the season with four players in double figures for the second straight year. Jamille Reynolds led the way with a team-high 17 points. Kasen Jennings recorded 15 points. He led the team with three made 3-pointers, one shy of tying a career-high. Kobe Knox produced a 14-point performance, while Jimmie Williams added 10.



The Bulls came out strong and started the game on a 9-4 run. Knox scored five of those points. South Florida held a 17-16 lead at the second media timeout.



After the timeout, the Bulls went on a 9-2 run and took a 28-18 lead with just under eight minutes left until the break. Brown started the run with an emphatic slam in transition. The next USF position was capped off by a Knox alley-oop off a Jennings pass.



Florida responded with a 15-8 run, but South Florida still held a 36-33 lead with 3:29 left until halftime. The Gators outscored the Bulls 6-4 to end the first half, but USF took a 40-39 lead into the break.



South Florida shot 46.9 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from 3-point range in the first half. The USF defense held UF to 17.6 percent from 3-point range.



Reynolds got the second half started for the Bulls with a dunk. He accounted for five of the team’s eight points. UF held a 49-48 lead with 15:45 left in regulation.



The game’s intensity picked up over the next five minutes as the two sides continued to be in a physical battle. The Gators held a 69-62 lead with 7:56 left to play. Florida relied on free throws as they shot 18 and made 16.



South Florida fell to Florida 98-83. The Gators shot 29 free throws in the second half and made 23. For the game, UF attempted 33 free throws compared to the 17 by USF.



The Bulls played stellar defense against the long-range shots and held the Gators to 20.0 percent from 3-point range. The South Florida bench outscored the Florida bench 27-16. The Bulls had the advantage in fast-break points, 23-13.



Brandon Stroud and Reynolds tied for a team-high six rebounds. Jayden Reid paced the team with four assists and tied for a team-best three steals. Brown added a three-steal performance. Eight different players dished out an assist.



Notables

· The Bulls opened the season with four players in double figures for the second straight year.

· South Florida made 13 3-pointers and shot 48.1 percent from long range.



Up Next

The Bulls return to the court on Friday, November 8, with a trip to South Carolina. South Florida and the College of Charleston are scheduled for a 7 p.m. jump.

USF doesn’t open the Ben Fletcher era lightly with #21 Florida in Jax.

Good luck to the Bulls tonight.

I didn’t realize the game was tomorrow night.

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TAMPA, Fla. (Nov. 4, 2024) – Oscar and Miriam Horton are passionate about providing well-rounded educational experiences to students in the Tampa Bay community, including at the University of South Florida. Most recently, they made a generous gift to the on-campus stadium, which they feel will do just that.

As an expression of their excitement about the on-campus stadium, which will break ground on Friday, Nov. 8, and the experiences it will provide for USF and the Tampa Bay community, the Hortons made a significant financial investment in the project of $1 million through their foundation, The Horton Family Foundation.

“We deeply appreciate Oscar and Miriam’s investment in our new stadium, which demonstrates their confidence in the vital role the project will play in the University of South Florida’s future, including enhancing the on-campus experience for our students, faculty and staff, alumni and community members,” USF President Rhea Law said. “We are incredibly grateful to the Horton family for their longstanding support of both USF and the Tampa Bay community.”

Together, Oscar and Miriam Horton built a thriving business, Horton Holdings LLC, which owns and oversees the operations of Sun State International, Sun State Real Estate and Investments Corp. Both are active in the community; Oscar is a former USF Foundation Board of Directors member and currently serves on the USF Board of Trustees, and is a board member of Tampa General Hospital, Community Foundation Tampa Bay and the Bank of Tampa.

For many years, the Hortons have focused their time and philanthropy on USF and Academy Prep in order to increase their impact on education. The Hortons shared that this gift to support USF’s on-campus stadium stems from their belief in the transformative power of university athletics.

“Athletics are the front door of the university,” Oscar Horton said. “Sports facilities and scholarships have a huge impact on student-athlete recruitment and the ability to build a strong athletics program. Miriam and I can’t wait to see all the many benefits this new on-campus stadium will bring to USF.”

The Hortons previously contributed to construction of the Porter Family Indoor Performance Facility and the Pam and Les Muma Basketball Center as well as USF men’s golf and the Bulls Club Annual Fund.

“I have had the honor of serving on the USF Board of Trustees with Oscar for almost four years now and have been consistently inspired by his and Miriam’s dedication to supporting the overall educational experience for students throughout our Tampa Bay community,” said Will Weatherford, USF Board of Trustees chair.

Set to open in 2027, the stadium will provide a unique, vibrant, shared campus experience that will contribute to the culture, spirit and connectedness of the university. The Horton family is excited to play a role in making this transformative facility a reality.

“I’m pleased that Oscar and Miriam chose to step forward with this important gift,” said USF Foundation CEO Jay Stroman. “Their generosity plays a vital role in helping bring the on-campus stadium to fruition.”

To view this story on the USF Foundation’s website, click here.

I plan to be there.

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