TAMPA, Fla. (January 27, 2024) – The University of South Florida men’s basketball team returned to the Yuengling Center for an American Athletic Conference contest with UTSA on Saturday. Kobe Knox led USF with 18 points. Five South Florida players finished in double figures as the Bulls slowed down the Roadrunners with an 89-72 victory.
USF recorded a program record 18 3-pointers, which is a record that has stood since December 7, 1991. The Bulls tied the record earlier this season with a 14-point performance against Alabama State on December 29, 2023. The 18 3-pointers are the second most in an AAC conference game this season and are tied for the 20th most in a single game in the NCAA this year.
The Bulls have started 13-5 for just the seventh time in program history. It is the first since the 2001-02 season that USF has started 13-5. The Bulls have started 13-5 five times now and have started 14-4 twice. The 6-1 start to conference play ties the best start in program history. The only other time the Bulls started conference play 6-1 was in the 2000-01 season as a member of the Conference USA. For the third time this season, the Bulls finished with five guys in double figures.
The Bulls started the game fast with an 8-4 run that ended with back-to-back 3-pointers from Kasean Pryor and Brandon Stroud. South Florida extended its lead to 17-6 with a 9-2 run. After Knox made a free throw, Jose Placer found Pryor for the alley-oop. Chris Youngblood and Placer drained back-to-back 3-pointers to end the run.
UTSA went outscored USF 12-11 over the next four minutes of play and cut the deficit to 30-18 with 7:22 left until the break. Selton Miguel found Corey Walker Jr. for the alley-oop on an inbound pass to start the scoring.
The Roadrunners cut the deficit to eight, 36-28, with just over three minutes left in the half. The Bulls were unfazed and responded with an 8-2 run to close out the half. Miguel drained a 3-pointer for the last basket of the half as the Bulls took a 44-30 lead into the break.
USF opened the second half with three 3-pointers one each from Knox, Pryor, and Miguel, as the Bulls extended their lead to 53-37. South Florida added a 12-7 run, capped off by back-to-back 3-pointers from Knox. The Bulls extended its lead to 65-44 with 12:09 left in regulation.
The two sides combined for 12 points, but the Bulls held a 71-52 lead with 7:56 left to play. During that stretch, Placer knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to break the single-game record with 3-pointers with 15 as a team.
It was a back-and-forth battle for the next four minutes of play as the Bulls combined for 13 points with two more 3-pointers, one by Youngblood and one from Miguel. The Roadrunners utilized two 3-pointers from Jordan Ivy-Curry as the team scored 12 points. USF extended its lead to 20, 84-64, with 3:54 left to play.
The Roadrunners closed out the game on an 8-5 run, but the early lead from the Bulls was too much to overcome. During the closing minutes, Placer knocked down his fourth 3-pointer on the day and gave South Florida a total of 18 for the game. South Florida claimed an 89-72 win.
Knox tied a season-high with 18 points as notched a season-best three 3-pointers with a 3-for-4 game from long distance. He added a game-high four blocks, which was a season-best. He brought down five rebounds with two assists and two steals. It was his seventh game in double figures this season. Placer added a 16-point performance while shooting 4-for-6 from 3-point range. He added four assists and two rebounds. Miguel and Youngblood each tallied 15 points. Miguel finished with a game-high six assists and one rebound. Youngblood collected three rebounds with one assist. Pryor closed out the double-digit scorers with 12 points to go along with two rebounds and an assist. Stroud produced a monster game on the glass with a season-high 12 rebounds. He chipped in with seven points and four assists. He was a perfect 2-for-2 from the field, 1-for-1 from 3-point range, and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line.
As a unit, the Bulls dished out 25 assists, the second most on the season.
Jordan Ivy-Curry recorded a game-high 23 points and was the lone player in double digits for UTSA. He added five rebounds and two assists. Massal Diouf led the team with six rebounds.
Notables
· USF recorded a program record 18 3-pointers, which is a record that has stood since December 7, 1991. The Bulls tied the record earlier this season with a 14-point performance against Alabama State on December 29, 2023.
· The 18 3-pointers are the second most in an AAC conference game this season and are tied for the 20th most in a single game in the NCAA.
· The Bulls have started 13-5 for just the seventh time in program history. It is the first since the 2001-02 season that USF has started 13-5. The Bulls have started 13-5 five times now and have started 14-4 twice.
· The 6-1 start to conference play ties the best start in program history. The only other time the Bulls started conference play 6-1 was in the 2000-01 season as a member of the Conference USA.
· For the third time this season, the Bulls finished with five guys in double figures.
· Kobe Knox tied a season-high with 18 points as notched a season-best three 3-pointers with a 3-for-4 game from long distance. He added a game-high four blocks, which was a season-best. He brought down five rebounds with two assists and two steals. It was his seventh game in double figures this season.
· Jose Placer added a 16-point performance while shooting 4-for-6 from 3-point range. He added four assists and two rebounds. It was his fourth game in double digits this season.
· Selton Miguel posted 15 points, a season-high six assists, and one rebound.
· Chris Youngblood went for 15 points and collected three rebounds with one assist.
· Kasean Pryor closed out the double-digit scorers with 12 points to go along with two rebounds and an assist.
· Brandon Stroud produced a monster game on the glass with a season-high 12 rebounds. He chipped in with seven points and four assists. He was a perfect 2-for-2 from the field, 1-for-1 from 3-point range, and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line.
Next Up
South Florida heads north for a matchup with East Carolina on Wednesday, January 31. The Bulls and Pirates are scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPN+.
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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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