GoUSFBulls.com Bulls to play UConn in Conference Tournament Opener

[Brad]

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Bulls to play UConn in Conference Tournament Opener

USF is looking to win the conference tournament opener for the second straight season

Matchup: No. 11 USF (7-22, 1-17) vs. No. 6 UConn (14-16, 9-9)
Date: Thursday, March 9
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: Hartford, Conn. | XL Center (16,294)
Watch: ESPNEWS (Allen Bestwick, Tim Welsh)
Radio: 820 AM (Jim Lighthall)
Follow: Listen | Stats | Watch

TAMPA, MARCH 8, 2017 – The University of South Florida men’s basketball team begins the 2017 Frontier Communications American Athletic Conference Tournament against UConn on Thursday night.

The winner of the 11 vs. 6 seed game will advance to the quarterfinals to play No. 3 Houston on Friday evening at 9.

USF completed the regular season against Temple on Sunday. Redshirt junior guard Geno Thorpe (Pittsburgh) tallied a game-high 21 points in the contest. Sophomore forward Luis Santos (Bronx, N.Y.) posted 16 points, two shy of matching his career best.

The Bulls also seek a conference opening win for the second consecutive year. Last season, No. 9 USF topped No. 8 ECU, 71-66, in the opening round. Center Ruben Guerrero (Spain) compiled six points, nine rebounds and two blocks.

Redshirt freshman forward Tulio Da Silva (Brazil) has 196 rebounds at USF and needs three more to pass John Egbunu (2013-14) for the most by a freshman in program history.

The Opponent

UConn enters the conference tournament on a four-game losing streak. The skid matches the Huskies' longest losing streak of the season.

In their last contest, the Huskies fell to No. 18 Cincinnati, 67-47, on Sunday. The loss coupled with a Houston win and a Tulsa win handed the Huskies the six seed in the conference tournament.

In 2016, UConn won the American Athletic Conference tournament as a five seed. The 2017 conference tournament will be held at the XL Center, one of UConn’s home sites.

Statistically, UConn ranks second in The American in blocks per game (5.4). In conference play, the Huskies are second in free throw percentage (74.6) and third in field goal shooting (42.8).

UConn leads the all-time series, 18-2, against USF. The Huskies won the only neutral court meeting, a conference opening tournament victory over the Bulls (3/12/15). Guard Troy Holston recorded 12 points in the meeting.

Notables

·   Under Coach Murry Bartow’s guidance, USF is making free throws at a 78 percent clip, a four percent jump. The Bulls are also making six three-pointers a game.

·   Thorpe ranks second in The American in free throw percentage (.844), fourth in assists (4.6) and steals per game (1.6) and eighth in scoring (14.8).

·   Junior center Ruben Guerrero (Spain) has 119 blocks at USF, sixth-most in program history. He began the year tied for 10^th.

·   Da Silva has posted 10-plus points in eight of the last 11 games.

·   The Bulls have used 15 different starting lineups this season, fifth most in Division 1 men’s basketball. (Chicago State, 18).

·   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.

[Sellular1]

MBB and WBB both end tournament streak at the hands of UConn

[bowman1]

12 hours ago, Sellular1 said:

MBB and WBB both end tournament streak at the hands of UConn

[George_Bullnard_Shaw]

I just hope we don't look ahead to Houston and get caught in a trap game.

[206BULL]

Finally this season is coming to a merciful end. 

[NewEnglandBull]

2 hours ago, George_Bullnard_Shaw said:

I just hope we don't look ahead to Houston and get caught in a trap game.

Other than 7 games we overlooked all of them for this tourney 

[DELdaBull]

Go BULLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bcgruber]

9-0

[NewEnglandBull]

27 minutes ago, brybull1970 said:

Laughing at everyone who thought this team would go .500 this year. 

There was actually one poster who still thought we would get to the nit after the half way point. This team was a **** storm from day one. I said 12 wins and feel stupid for doing so. 

[fhemmer209]

32 minutes ago, brybull1970 said:

Laughing at everyone who thought this team would go .500 this year. 

They went .500 in the games I saw. Then again, that would be only two.