TAMPA, Fla. (January 21, 2024) – The University of South Florida men’s basketball team returned to the court on Sunday for an American Athletic Conference game with Wichita State. Kasean Pryor recorded his third-straight game with 20 or more points as the Bulls took down the Shockers 72-68.
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With the win, South Florida extended its winning streak to three games. The Bulls improved to 11-5 overall and 4-1 in the AAC, while the Shockers fell to 8-10 overall and 0-5 in league games. It was the third-straight game that the Bulls used a come-from-behind effort after being down at the half.
The game started slow as a combined six points were scored at the under-16 media timeout. The Shockers held a 4-2 lead with 15:39 left in the opening stanza. The Bulls went on a 10-7 run and took a 12-11 lead with 11:02 left in the half. Wichita State outscored South Florida 9-6 over the next four minutes and took a 20-18 lead. During the stretch, Kobe Knox found a cutting Sam Hines Jr. for a dunk.
Wichita State extended its lead to 31-25 with 3:40 left in the half after the Shockers went on an 11-7 run. The Bulls closed out the half on a 7-4 run and closed the deficit to three, 35-32, at the break.
South Florida outscored Wichita State 7-6 to start the second half. The Shockers held a 41-39 lead. The Bulls picked up the intensity on the defensive end which led to five unanswered points. Chris Youngblood found Pryor in the corner for a wide-open 3-pointer. The Bulls forced another turnover, which led to the Shockers calling a timeout. USF took a 44-41 lead with 13:48 left in the game.
The Bulls continued to keep the Shockers off the scoreboard and Pryor scored all five points during the 5-0 run. South Florida took a 49-44 lead with 11:58 left to play. USF combined for a 16-0 run over five minutes.
The Shockers went on an 8-5 run with 7:50 left on the clock, but the Bulls held a 58-49 lead. Wichita State added a 12-6 run and cut the South Florida lead to 64-61 with 3:59 left in regulation. South Florida stayed the course and held off Wichita State for a 72-68 victory.
Pryor recorded a game-high 25 points, which was his third game with 20 or more points. He brought down a game-high 10 rebounds for his second-consecutive game with a double. He added one assist and a steal. Jose Placer posted a 17-point game, while he shot 6-of-7 from the field and 3-of-4 from 3-point range. He dished out one assist. Kobe Knox closed out the double-digit scorers with 10 points. He collected a game-high four assists. Brandon Stroud had another strong game on the glass as he brought down seven rebounds and notched a game-high three steals.
Harlond Beverly posted a team-high 15 points for the Shockers. He added six rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Xavier Bell finished with 14 points, a team-high eight rebounds, two assists, and one block. Kenny Pohto added 12 points and four rebounds. Colby Rogers closed out the double-digit scorers with 11 points. He chipped in with five rebounds and had a team-best three assists. Quincy Ballard posted a game-high two blocks.
Notables
· Kasean Pryor recorded a game-high 25 points, which was his third-straight game with 20 or more points. He brought down a game-high 10 rebounds for his second-consecutive game with a double. He added one assist and a steal, he tied a program record with a perfect free-throw percentage. He shot 11-for-11 from the free-throw line.
· Jose Placer posted a 17-point game, while he shot 6-of-7 from the field and 3-of-4 from 3-point range. It is his third game in double figures. He dished out one assist.
· Kobe Knox closed out the double-digit scorers with 10 points. It was his fifth game on the season in double figures. He collected a game-high four assists.
Next Up
South Florida makes a trip to Philadelphia for a matchup with Temple. The Bulls and Owls are scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPN+ on Wednesday, January 24.
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The South Florida men’s basketball team is led by Amir Abdur-Rahim, who was named the 11th head coach in program history on March 29, 2023. Abdur-Rahim was named the 2023 Mid-Major Coach of the Year (Hugh Durham Award) after leading Kennesaw State to its first-ever Division I NCAA Tournament berth in 2022-23. Abdur-Rahim’s Kennesaw State team set an NCAA record as the fastest team to ever reach the NCAA Tournament after a one-win campaign, accomplishing the feat in a span of just three seasons. He was also named the 2022-23 NABC District 3 and ASUN Coach of the Year after leading Kennesaw State to both the regular season and tournament titles, and a school-record 26 wins.
USF has retired three numbers in its history: Chucky Atkins (12), Charlie Bradley (30), and Radenko Dobras (31). The Bulls have earned three NCAA tournament bids, appeared in the NIT eight times, and won the 2019 College Basketball Invitational.
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