GoUSFBulls.com Bulls Take on Tulsa this Saturday

[Brad]

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Bulls Take on Tulsa this Saturday

Guard Geno Thorpe has scored double figures in 14 of the team’s 17 games this season

Matchup: Tulsa (10-7, 4-1 The American) at USF (6-11, 0-6)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 21
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Tampa, Fla. | Sun Dome (10,411)
Watch: ESPNEWS (Alex Faust, Mark Wise)
Radio: 820 AM (Jim Lighthall, Jim Louk)
Follow: Listen | Stats | Watch

TAMPA, JAN. 20, 2017 – For the first time in 10 days, the University of South Florida men’s basketball team (6-11, 0-6 The American) is back at the Sun Dome to host the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (10-7, 4-1) on Saturday afternoon.

The Bulls return home following a pair of road contests at Memphis (Jan. 14) and UCF (Jan. 17). Junior guard Geno Thorpe (Pittsburgh) averaged 17.0 points per game on the roadswing, including a career high tying 22 points in the War on I-4 matchup on Tuesday. Thorpe has now tallied double-figure point totals in four straight games in 14 of the team’s 17 games this season.

This will be the fifth home game for the Bulls under the direction of interim head coach Murry Bartow. Most recently, USF set a season-high with 18 assists at UCF and the Bulls are averaging 14.5 assists per game under Bartow’s guidance.

The Opponent

Tulsa (10-7, 4-1) is one of the hotter teams in The American. Despite being picked ninth in the preseason coaches’ poll, the Golden Hurricane are currently fourth in the conference standings. Tulsa has won back-to-back games, including an 89-82 home victory over Tulane on Wednesday.

The Golden Hurricane only have two players averaging double figure points – forward Junior Etou (11.8) and guard Jaleel Wheeler (10.9). Etou is also grabbing a team-best 6.9 rebounds per game.

The all-time series consists of just three meetings – all won by Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane won the inaugural meeting in 2015 and also were victorious in both matchups in 2016. This will be just the second contest between the schools in Tampa.

Notables

• The Bulls are third in The American in three point shooting percentage (.358).
• Junior guard Geno Thorpe (Pittsburgh) is second in The American in free throw percentage (.855), fifth in steals (1.5) and seventh in assists (4.2).
• Redshirt freshman forward Tulio Da Silva(Brazil) has grabbed the fifth-most rebounds in the conference (7.7 per game).
• Junior center Ruben Guerrero (Spain) has 106 blocks at USF, seventh-most in program history.
• The Bulls are averaging 8.6 steals per game over the last three contests.
• USF has outscored opponents by 99 points in the paint this year.
• The bench has outscored the opponent in 10 games this year, including a +67 margin this season.
• This year, USF is one of four NCAA Division I teams with no seniors on its roster. The other three are Bradley, Penn State and UT-Rio Grande Valley.
• The next USF Basketball Radio Show will be on Monday, Jan. 23 from World of Beer on Fowler Ave. Join interim head coach Murry Bartow and the voice of the Bulls, Jim Lighthall, for the one-hour show starting at 7 p.m. Listen live on 820-AM or online at GoUSFBulls.com.

[Paisa el Toro]

Kudos to Tom Zebold for being able to find silver linings in an otherwise dreary season. I'll be there on Saturday, but I'm not expecting much. Tulsa was one of the better defense squads that I watched at the Sun Dome last year. My silver lining for this game will be continued heckling of Frank "I take big checks from Nevin Shapiro" Haith.