GoUSFBulls.com USF Hosts No. 16/15 South Carolina Saturday

[Brad]

USF ATHLETICS

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USF Hosts No. 16/15 South Carolina Saturday

 

Matchup: USF (5-3) vs. South Carolina (8-1)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 17
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Tampa, Fla. | Sun Dome (10,411)

Watch: CBS Sports Network (Dave Ryan, Pete Gillen)
Radio: 820 AM (Jim Lighthall, Todd Kalas)
Follow: Listen | Stats

Game Notes: USF Notes | USC Notes

 

TAMPA, DEC. 16, 2016 – USF’s men’s basketball team will host No. 16/15 South Carolina, the highest ranked non-conference team in three seasons to play in the Sun Dome, on Saturday at 1 p.m.

 

Not since No. 5 Oklahoma State played on Nov. 26, 2013 has a higher ranked team visited the Sun Dome. The Bulls (5-3) will be looking for its first win over an AP Top 25 team since a 58-51 win at No. 19 Louisville on Feb. 29, 2012.

 

USF is coming off an incredible comeback against Bethune-Cookman on Monday. The Bulls, who trailed by 19 points with 5:09 left in the first half, scored the last 13 points of regulation to force overtime and win the game 79-73. In his second game of the season, sophomore guard Jahmal McMurray (Topeka, Kan.) scored 20 points, including 14 in the second half and overtime. Junior forward Bo Zeigler (Detroit) made his first 10 field goal attempts and exploded for 20 points, which tied his career high.

 

McMurray leads the Bulls with an average of 18 points per game. Leading the rebounding effort this season has been freshman forward Tulio Da Silva. The Brazilian ranks third in the American Athletic Conference with 8.5 rebounds per game. His 11.5 points per game ranks 26^th, second among freshmen in The American

 

USF is coming off another superb shooting performance with a 51.8 percent effort from the floor against Bethune-Cookman. The Bulls have shot over 42 percent from the field in all but one game this season and over 49 percent in the last four games. USF ranks second in the conference with an overall field goal percentage of 48.4. By comparison, through eight games last season, USF was shooting 40.9 percent. The Bulls’ improvement is also noticeable from 3-point range. USF is shooting 36.9 percent from beyong-the-arc, an improvement from 24.3 percent last season through eight games.

 

The Opponent

After being picked to finish eighth in the Southeastern Conference Preseason Poll, South Carolina (8-1) is currently ranked 15^th in the Coaches Poll and 16^th in the AP Top 25. It is its highest ranking since ending the 1997-98 season at No. 14. The Gamecocks are coming off their first loss of the season, 67-64, vs. Seton Hall on Monday at the Under Armour Reunion, held at Madison Square Garden. USC has been solid defensively this season, holding its opponents under 40 percent shooting in seven of its nine games. Senior guard Sindarius Thornwell leads the Gamecocks in points (18.7), rebounds (6.7) and assists (4.1). USC announced on Dec. 4 that Thornwell has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of athletic department policy. He has not played in the team’s past two games.

 

Notables

The game is themed Uniendo Los Toros, which in English means “Uniting The Bulls,” where the Bulls will wear special “Los Toros” uniforms for a Latino Celebration/Appreciation Game. The game pits two of the three Latino head coaches in NCAA Division I men’s basketball in USF’s Orlando Antigua and South Carolina’s Frank Martin. Miami’s Jim Larranaga is the other. The first 300 fans in the building will be given a free Los Toros t-shirt and free pizza will be available in the student club for all USF students.

 

The War On I-4 Trophy will be on display during the pregame of Saturday’s contest at Gate A. USF football players will also be available for autographs during that time. Also before the game, Guerrero will be presented the NCAA Male Sportsmanship Award after being named the winner in August. 

 

Notables

 

·   USC leads the all-time series over USF, 4-1.

·   Last season’s meeting in Columbia resulted in an 81-63 win by the Gamecocks on Dec. 5, 2015.

·   USF is 10-42 all-time against teams from the Southeastern Conference.

·   Junior guard Geno Thorpe (Pittsburgh) is averaging 13.9 points per game, which ranks 14th in The American. His 5.0 assists per game ranks fourth in the conference and his 1.6 steals ranks third.

·  Orlando Antigua is 0-3 all-time against Top 25 teams with each meeting coming last season. USF lost to No. 1 Kentucky, 84-63, on Nov. 27, 2015... No. 17 SMU in Dallas, 77-58, on Jan. 2, 2016... No. 12 SMU in Tampa, 92-58, on Feb. 7, 2016.

·  Last season, USF was limited with who could be counted on to make a 3-point shot. Only three players, Jahmal McMurray (73), Nehemias Morillo (34) and Angel Nunez (23), made more than two 3-pointers last season. This year, five players, McMurray, Troy Holston (Queens, N.Y.), Michael Bibby (Phoenix), Malik Fitts (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) and Geno Thorpe, have already hit more than two 3-pointers.

·   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 next on Dec. 26 from World of Beer on Fowler Ave. Join head coach Orlando Antigua 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.

Up Next

In the penultimate game before Christmas Day, USF hosts Northern Illinois (4-5), Tuesday at 7 p.m.

 

[Bulls1181]

They will run up the score on Saturday, we will run up the score come Bowl time.. 

[CousinRicky]

For some reason we are actually going to this game. Know it is a waste of time.  But not going Tuesday because we're going to see the Lightning.

[Triple B]

23 minutes ago, Bourbon Bull said:

For some reason we are actually going to this game. Know it is a waste of time.  But not going Tuesday because we're going to see the Lightning.

Actually going to Tuesday and Thursday games this week instead of Lightning games ... I need help.

[El_Toro_86]

25 minutes ago, Bourbon Bull said:

For some reason we are actually going to this game. Know it is a waste of time.  But not going Tuesday because we're going to see the Lightning.

Consuming some of your favorite bourbon before this one may be in order

[CousinRicky]

1 minute ago, Triple B said:

Actually going to Tuesday and Thursday games this week instead of Lightning games ... I need help.

Didn't realize we had a game Thursday until you mentioned it. Was on the calendar but looked right past it.

[Triple B]

9 minutes ago, Bourbon Bull said:

Didn't realize we had a game Thursday until you mentioned it. Was on the calendar but looked right past it.

Overlook the Fighting Blue Hens??

Didn't someone on the board from quite awhile back go up there to work for them? ..... Maybe it was Rhode Island.

[charsibb]

10 hours ago, Brad said:

 

Not since No. 5 Oklahoma State played on Nov. 26, 2013 has a higher ranked team visited the Sun Dome. The Bulls (5-3) will be looking for its first win over an AP Top 25 team since a 58-51 win at No. 19 Louisville on Feb. 29, 2012.

 

 

 

Had to go look this up, since I remember beating a top-10 Depaul or Marquette team at home more recently

Turns out it must have been 2009 - either Feb 06 Marquette or Jan 20 Depaul (likely Marquette?)

Seems like yesterday...

 

[bullsfan27]

2 hours ago, charsibb said:

Had to go look this up, since I remember beating a top-10 Depaul or Marquette team at home more recently

Turns out it must have been 2009 - either Feb 06 Marquette or Jan 20 Depaul (likely Marquette?)

Seems like yesterday...

 

We beat #8 Marquette in 2009 for our first win over a top 10 team in program history. I was a manager on that team and remember the ending like it was yesterday

[charsibb]

6 minutes ago, bullsfan27 said:

We beat #8 Marquette in 2009 for our first win over a top 10 team in program history. I was a manager on that team and remember the ending like it was yesterday

I watched it on TV, was just blown away. Just went to find the youtube, amazed that the students didn't rush the court...