GREENVILLE, N.C. (January 25, 2025) – Kobe Knox and De’Ante Green were the only players in double digits for the University of South Florida men’s basketball team against East Carolina on Saturday. The Bulls fell to the Pirates 64-55.
With the loss, South Florida fell to 10-10 overall and 3-4 in American Athletic Conference play. The Pirates improved to 12-9 overall and 4-4 in league games.
Knox recorded a game-high 17 points. It was his 11th game of the season in double digits. He finished the game 6-for-7 from the field and 5-for-6 from 3-point range. Green tallied his sixth game in double figures with 11 points. Jimmie Williams led the Bulls with a career-high eight rebounds. He added eight points and recorded a team-high two steals. CJ Brown produced the only blocked shot for USF.
For the 15th time this season, the USF bench outscored the opponent’s bench. The Bulls outscored the Pirates’ bench 15-12. South Florida produced more points off turnovers, 13-7, and fastbreak points, 8-5. The Bulls finished the game shooting 45.5 percent from 3-point range and 35.0 percent from the field. USF only shot four free throws for the game. The Bulls were held to just four free-throw attempts for the first time since February 5, 2017, against Temple. South Florida forced 14 turnovers and turned the ball over eight times.
The game started as a back-and-forth battle. Jayden Reid found Knox in transition for the fastbreak alley-oop.
The Pirates went on a 10-0 run and claimed a 13-5 lead. The Bulls were unfazed and answered with a 12-4 run to tie the game at 17-17 with just under seven minutes left in the first half. Knox and Brandon Stroud each knocked down a 3-pointer. USF held ECU to 1-of-9 from the field during the stretch.
The Pirates went into the half with a 31-28 lead. The Bulls finished the first stanza shooting 45.5 percent from the field. Williams collected a career-high six rebounds and had eight points in the first 20 minutes.
East Carolina extended their lead to 48-39 midway through the second half. South Florida’s defense forced six turnovers in the first 10 minutes of the second half. The Pirates stretched the lead to 17, their largest of the game, 61-44, with six minutes left to play. The Bulls fought until the final buzzer and closed the game on an 11-3 run. Unfortunately, the early deficit was too much to overcome as ECU went on to win 64-55.
The Pirates outrebounded the Bulls 48-27, which led to 14 second-chance points. CJ Walked led ECU with 15 points. He collected eight rebounds and added a game-high five assists. RJ Felton and Jordan Riley both finished with 12 points. Felton brought down 14 rebounds for a double-double. Riely and Cam Hayes tied with a team-best two steals.
Notables
· Kobe Knox recorded a game-high 17 points. It was his 11th game of the season in double digits. He finished the game 6-for-7 from the field and 5-for-6 from 3-point range.
· Green tallied his sixth game in double figures with 11 points
· The Bulls’ bench outscored the opponents for the 15th game of the season.
Up Next
The Bulls return to the Yuengling Center on Tuesday, January 28. South Florida welcomes Rice for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPNU.
With the loss, South Florida fell to 10-10 overall and 3-4 in American Athletic Conference play. The Pirates improved to 12-9 overall and 4-4 in league games.
Knox recorded a game-high 17 points. It was his 11th game of the season in double digits. He finished the game 6-for-7 from the field and 5-for-6 from 3-point range. Green tallied his sixth game in double figures with 11 points. Jimmie Williams led the Bulls with a career-high eight rebounds. He added eight points and recorded a team-high two steals. CJ Brown produced the only blocked shot for USF.
For the 15th time this season, the USF bench outscored the opponent’s bench. The Bulls outscored the Pirates’ bench 15-12. South Florida produced more points off turnovers, 13-7, and fastbreak points, 8-5. The Bulls finished the game shooting 45.5 percent from 3-point range and 35.0 percent from the field. USF only shot four free throws for the game. The Bulls were held to just four free-throw attempts for the first time since February 5, 2017, against Temple. South Florida forced 14 turnovers and turned the ball over eight times.
The game started as a back-and-forth battle. Jayden Reid found Knox in transition for the fastbreak alley-oop.
The Pirates went on a 10-0 run and claimed a 13-5 lead. The Bulls were unfazed and answered with a 12-4 run to tie the game at 17-17 with just under seven minutes left in the first half. Knox and Brandon Stroud each knocked down a 3-pointer. USF held ECU to 1-of-9 from the field during the stretch.
The Pirates went into the half with a 31-28 lead. The Bulls finished the first stanza shooting 45.5 percent from the field. Williams collected a career-high six rebounds and had eight points in the first 20 minutes.
East Carolina extended their lead to 48-39 midway through the second half. South Florida’s defense forced six turnovers in the first 10 minutes of the second half. The Pirates stretched the lead to 17, their largest of the game, 61-44, with six minutes left to play. The Bulls fought until the final buzzer and closed the game on an 11-3 run. Unfortunately, the early deficit was too much to overcome as ECU went on to win 64-55.
The Pirates outrebounded the Bulls 48-27, which led to 14 second-chance points. CJ Walked led ECU with 15 points. He collected eight rebounds and added a game-high five assists. RJ Felton and Jordan Riley both finished with 12 points. Felton brought down 14 rebounds for a double-double. Riely and Cam Hayes tied with a team-best two steals.
Notables
· Kobe Knox recorded a game-high 17 points. It was his 11th game of the season in double digits. He finished the game 6-for-7 from the field and 5-for-6 from 3-point range.
· Green tallied his sixth game in double figures with 11 points
· The Bulls’ bench outscored the opponents for the 15th game of the season.
Up Next
The Bulls return to the Yuengling Center on Tuesday, January 28. South Florida welcomes Rice for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPNU.
