TAMPA, Fla. (November 14, 2024) – The University of South Florida men’s basketball team is back inside the Yuengling Center for a game with West Georgia on Friday, November 15. The Bulls (1-2) and the Wolves (0-3) are scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPN+. Breeze Airways is the sponsor of Friday’s game.



After the game, fans will have the opportunity to get postgame autographs on special posters.



Who Doesn’t Love “Kaso”

Kasen Jennings leads the team with 14.0 points per game and with seven made 3-pointers. Jennings has recorded at least 13 points in each of his first three games as a Bull. He is one of four players to record 13 or more points to start their USF career. Melvin Buckley (2005), Jahmal McMurray (2015), and Geno Thorpe (2016) are the three others.



Chef Boyar”Reid”

Through his first 36 games, Jayden Reid has tallied 114 and 46 steals. He is just one of six USF players to record 114+ assists and 45+ steals in their first 36 games. Reggie Kohn (1999), Anthony Collins (2011), and Laquincy Rideau (2018) are the others. He leads the 2024-25 squad with 14 assists.



Stout Long-Range Defense

The Bulls have held opponents to 22.9 percent from 3-point range. USF is 24th in the NCAA and is second in the AAC in 3-point defense. It is the second-lowest percentage since the 1996-97 season, only bested by the 21.3 percent last season.



Making it Count at the Line

The Bulls are tied for 101st in the country with a free-throw percentage of 74.4 and are fifth in the AAC. USF has made at least 70.0 percent of its free throws on at least 15 attempts in six straight games dating back to last season. That is the longest such streak for the Bulls since January 2011, with seven straight.



Getting Out in Transition

South Florida is tied for 66th in the nation and fifth in the conference with 16.67 fastbreak points per game.



Looking at the Bulls

Kobe Knox is second on the team with 11.3 points per game. He is tied for second on the squad with five made 3-pointers and in steals with four. Jamille Reynolds is the only other player averaging double digits, with 10.5 a game. De’Ante Green is coming off his first career double-double and he leads the team with 8.3 rebounds per game. Green and CJ Brown are tied for the team lead with two blocks each.



History with West Georgia

Friday will be the first meeting between South Florida and West Georgia.



Scouting the Wolves

Shelton Williams-Dryden leads West Georgia with 14.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. He has added three steals and one assist. Kolten Griffin is second on the team with 13.7 points per contest. He is second on the squad with three blocks. Kyric Davis rounds out the double-digit scorers with 10.3 a game. He has a team-best six steals. He is second on the team with six assists. Demetrus Johnson II has dished out a team-high nine assists.



Tale of the Tape

From Harrison HS in Georgia, my neck of the woods.

Figured I'd start up a game thread since there has been no chatter about tonight's game. Obviously this is a must-win game. FAU has close losses to Michigan St (16-10) and UNT, and they were tied going into the 4th against UTSA. They also held Army to 24- the only time Army has scored fewer than 37 this year. Wins are against Wagner and FIU, and they were blown out UConn.

FAU was crushed by Lajontay Wester leaving- Cam Fancher has 5 TDs to 6 INTs, and only two players have double-digit catches (we have 5, but only 6 passing TDs). FAU is getting 4.5 YPC (better than our 4.1) and does have 15 rushing TDs (same as us). FAU's scoring is 95th in the nation (we are 89th). Anecdotally, a buddy went to Marshall and was happy to see Fancher leave. He can move a bit but had decision making problems there.

FAU's scoring defense is 92nd worst in the nation (we are 105th), but like I said above, they did have some good outings.

I think this is game is pretty straightforward. You two teams that have struggled in multiple facets, but we have definitely played a tougher schedule. This is an opportunity for us to get back to .500 and to avenge a particularly embarrassing loss from 2023. We've had a true bye week without a hurricane, so I'd like to see much crisper offense and some new elements that fit Archie's skill set better.

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

(On court Basketball only)

All the teams in the American are off to a good start except for USF(only winless team). Rice (1-1) beat FIU and loss a close one to FSU. Charlotte(1-1) beat Presbyterian and got destroyed by Utah State. Preseason conference favorite UAB was stunned by a loss to Vermont, but has 2 wins over Southern Miss and SE Louisiana fairly easy. Strong start for Lendeborg. He leads the Blazers in all 5 major categories, pts, rebs, assts, stls, and blocks per game. The guy is a monster. UAB won’t win a game without him. The most notable wins in the AAC so far are by Memphis who is 2-0 despite the usual turmoil for Penny’s team. They beat Missouri in a home game, and UNLV on the road. The most impressive team imo is Florida Atlantic who I had rated higher than most others. FAU has a new HC and literally loss their entire team, but I was high on the new coach who came in and didn’t complain, just went to work. FAU added 11(wow) new players plus a whole new coaching staff this offseason. So far they look good and haven’t skipped a beat. Great job by the guys in Boca. Tulsa, WSU, ECU, UNT, Tulane, and UTSA are are undefeated but untested.
Note: Tulsa beat UAPB 104- 80 yesterday. USF host the Golden Lions in the home opener Tuesday.

Top 25 news

Kansas is the No. 1 team and just came off an awesome contested game against #11 UNC.

#6 Gonzaga could go undefeated in their league(again) they just destroyed then #8 Baylor 101 - 63! You just don’t see that kind lopsided win against a fellow top 10 team, at least in men’s basketball. To Baylor’s credit they came right back to beat Calipari’s #16 Razorbacks team 72-67.

Karter Knox note: Averaging 2.5 pts, 3 rebs, 0.5 asst, and shooting only 28% FG. He is the 8th man in minutes on a 9 man rotation that Calipari is only using so far.

#9 Auburn went to #4 Houston and won 72-67 in a hard fought war. That is the best win on the any top 25 team imo because it is hard to beat the Cougars at their place. Love him or hate him, Bruce Pearl’s teams are just amazing to watch and always good. I have never cared for the man’s character but as a Head Coach, he has been one of the best a long time.

#10 Tennessee routed Louisville 77-55, throwing water on the Cardinals faithful who thought their team was ready for big time. No so fast my friend!
Kasean Pryor Note: just like the entire Cardinals team, that step up in competition against the Vols cooled the fire a little. One made FG(6pts) 2rebs, 3 TOs

Stay tuned a top target. Not CJ Jenkins

Our players are hyped! Are you for the home opener?

I follow most of the team on social media and they have been very active on those platforms the last week or so. CAAR has to be proud of how the guys are responding and enjoying college life. The wins will come these next 2 games. Opponents like Arkansas Pine Bluff should be just what the doctor needs to help CBF figure out some the coaching decisions he is trying to learn, and hopefully get Reid, Green, and a couple of other guy going offensively.

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“Sources reporting that Boise State, Colorado state, San Diego State & Fesno state are being targeted to get added to the PAC 2

They will build a new western conference power conference & will be adding two more schools to get to the minimum 8..”

Can I just say… get us the **** out of this conference!! Things are beginning to look really bleak for us. USF just got passed by these G5s now as their contract will be stronger than AAC

Loads to unpack here. Does USF try to go & add itself to the new look PAC before it’s too late? Or would paying its exit fees and enlisting in a western conference be a death blow when future expansion comes from the ACC & USF can no longer move?

Another thing is what becomes of the MWC scraps? Air Force for example now looks like it’s on an island, why wouldn’t AAC add them at this point. Perhaps this opens a whole new round of expansion

just bad all around including coaching. Not fun sitting in this heat to watch it.

A coach should get his 3 years but we can’t get there fast enough.

Who do you like as…

• Best freshman
• Biggest surprise
• Biggest disappointment
• Best offense player
• Best Defensive player
• Position Coach on the hot seat
• Is the glass half full or half empty or broken in terms of general direction of the program?
• Biggest area to address heading into the 2025 season?

No words

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

Good luck to the Bulls tonight.

Let’s hope the offense shows up