South Florida Bulls Basketball

USF beat Seton Hall 76-74 in overtime on Thursday, the Bulls' second straight overtime victory after beating Providence 109-105 last weekend. This is the first time the Bulls have won back-to-back games in Big East play.

This win is huge for the program. It's not that beating Seton Hall is some huge upset, but it’s the way the Bulls won their first back-to-back games that needs to be focused on. This team usually packs it in by this time in the season. They usually get throttled day and night by the Big East juggernauts that they come up against.

Something different happened these last few days; this team has battled when usually it surrenders. Not only did it go two full halves of action, it went into overtime and won both times. Usually it would have been a valiant game that went into overtime, with the Bulls making careless mistakes and falling apart, but not this team.

Bulls fan can be proud of this team. No, it’s not a Big East contender yet, but the signs of improvement are showing through. This team is headed in the right direction, and the best part is that it gets Augustus Gilchrist back next week. Gilchrist has been the missing piece in losses like that to Notre Dame. The Bulls lost to the Irish 74-73 and there was no answer for Luke Harangody; Gilchrist is that answer.

Tonight, they did it without him; they did it on the back of Dominique Jones. Jones, who’s carried the team after Gilchrist went down, answered the call once again, this time with a game-high 28 points. Jones matched Jeremy Hazell’s 28 points shot for shot, as the two dueled throughout the game and into overtime.

Several other Bulls stepped up big when asked. Jarrid Famous, a 63 percent free throw shooter on the season, went 8-of-10 down the stretch and finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds. His free throw shooting kept the Bulls in the game late in the second half and all through overtime.

Chris Howard finished with 12 points and six rebounds. Howard is a forgotten player in the shadow of Dominique Jones, but just ask his opponents if they remember his defense. Howard plays smart, hard, and is a glove on whomever he matches up against. This combination is a rarity, and the Bulls are lucky to have such a talent.

The Bulls future is bright once healthy, and once the Bulls are finally at full strength, it’ll get even brighter. This team is no longer the pushover of the Big East. The Bulls are slowly rising through the ranks and are looking to prove themselves.

1. Syracuse (19-1)

The Orange continues to be atop the Big East Mountain. They’ll have their hands full with Georgetown this week, but then slide into a soft spot on the schedule for a few games before going to Cincinnati. Wesley Johnson continues to impress, as he leads Syracuse through another successful season.

2. Villanova (18-1)

Villanova still remains undefeated in conference play and only has the lone loss to Temple on the season. They still have Georgetown, West Virginia, and Syracuse on the schedule before the season ends, so their up-tempo play needs to continue.

3. Georgetown (15-3)

The Hoyas brought Pittsburgh back to Earth this week and are now 6-2 in conference play. They take on Syracuse this week for what looks to be a heavy weight title fight amongst Big East elites.

4. West Virginia (15-3)

The Mountaineers continue to build an impressive resume for the selection committee, as they beat Ohio State 71-65 this week. They have three very respectable losses on the season and still have several tough games left on the schedule for a few more quality wins.

5. Pittsburgh (15-4)

The Panthers watched the wheels fall off this week with losses to Georgetown and Seton Hall. They get St. Johns and USF for their next two games, and should get back on track quickly before going to Morgantown for the start of February.

6.  Connecticut (13-6)

How do you handle hosting the No. 1 team in the country? Beat them by 12 after trailing 42-34 at halftime. This win gave the Huskies the confidence in themselves that they’ve been lacking this season. I expect a different look to an already dangerous team from here on out.

7. Notre Dame (15-5)

The Irish continue to navigate the trials and tribulations of a Big East schedule. They lose game to elite opponents, but win the games they should. Luke Harangody is arguably one the best post players in the country, and his 24 points and 10 rebounds a game solidify that.

8. Louisville (13-7)

The Cardinals broke the three game losing streak they’ve been mired in with a win over Cincinnati. They get another chance to prove they’re tournament worthy went they travel to Morgantown this week. A win there will give them momentum to take on a red-hot Husky team.

9. Seton Hall (12-6)

The Pirates picked up two big wins over Louisville and Pittsburgh this week.  They now begin a three game road test that includes both Villanova and Pittsburgh once again.

10. Cincinnati (13-7)

The Bearcats continue their up and down season with a loss to Louisville 68-60. The loss ended both the momentum and the two game winning streak Cincinnati had built up. It’s going to take a serious winning streak and impressive Big East Tournament play for the Bearcats to get into the NCAA Tournament.

11. St. John's (12-7)

The Red Storm lost both their games this week, but they shouldn’t have won either of them. The two game losing streak will most likely extent to three games as Pittsburgh come up next on the schedule. After that however, there will be several winnable games remaining on the schedule before the season ends.

12. South Florida (12-7)

The Bulls have got to be happy with their progress this season. They have two conference wins and a 12-7 record all without their best player in Augustus Gilchrist. Dominique Jones will be glad to have another offensive threat when Big Gus comes back the first week of February.

13. Marquette (11-8)

The Golden Eagles disappointed me with the loss to DePaul, it’s the first really bad loss on their record. They continued the encore with a five-point loss to the Orange on the road. This is a team that competes, fights and battles the entire game, but in the end will come up short time and time again.

14. Providence (11-8)

The Friars launched threes against USF all night long but in the end it wasn’t enough as they fell 109-105 in overtime at home. They currently have a two game losing streak going, and neither are good losses for this team. They get a Connecticut team that’s caught fire for their next game, not good timing.

15. DePaul (8-11)

The Blue Demons stole a win from Marquette given them their first conference win on the season. They enter new territory as they find themselves with both a conference win and out of the Power Ranking basement.

16. Rutgers (9-10)

The Scarlet Knights stretched their losing streak to eight games with no end in sight. I’m fairly impressed they dethroned DePaul as the worst team in the conference that took some work.

Dominique Jones went off for a career-high 46 points as USF upset Providence 109-105 in overtime. Jones did it all for the Bulls and was two assists off the triple-double, as he added 10 rebounds to the stat sheet.

The Bulls offense was running on all cylinders against the Friars, with every starter in double figures. This is the first time this season the Bulls have accomplished this feat.

Jarrid Famous had 17 points and seven rebounds before fouling out late in the second half. Mike Mercer also had seven rebounds, but chipped in 17 points of his own. Chris Howard put in 12 points, but it was Toarlyn Fitzpatrick’s 12 points that were important. Fitzpatrick was 1-of-5 from three-point range this season, but heaved a desperation three as time expired to send the Bulls into overtime and their eventual win.

The Bulls survived a poor perimeter shooting performance, only managing 28 percent from behind the arc. They finished shooting 52 percent from the field.

The Friars bombarded the Bulls all night with three-point attempts. They went 11-of-25 for 44 percent and matched the Bulls 52 percent from the field.

The offense for the Friars was much more concentrated than that of the Bulls. Jamie Peterson had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Sharaud Curry matched him with 24 points. Marshon Brooks added 25 points, and Vincent Council added 17 of his own.

USF (12-7) now begins a home stretch with Seton Hall and Pittsburgh for its next two games. Augustus Gilchrist is expected to return sometime around the Pittsburgh game on January 31. The addition of Gilchrist will bring an added dimension to USF on both sides of the court with his 18 points a game and eight rebounds a game.

The Bulls are 6-3 at home this season and are now 2-5 in conference with both of those wins coming in a week. Seton Hall comes into this contest on Thursday only 2-2 on the road this season. The Bulls should be able to take this win, along with their usual tough play in the Sun Dome and sneak out a win over the Pirates in a close game.

1. Syracuse (17-1)

The Orange are 4-1 in conference play so far this season with that one loss coming against Pittsburgh. They escaped Morgantown this weekend with a one-point win over West Virginia. Their remaining schedule is a grab bag of Big East teams, and while difficult, is very manageable.

2. Villanova (16-1)

Villanova is undefeated so far in Big East Play at 5-0. They escaped Georgetown and handled Louisville last week. This week is drastically easier with Rutgers and St. Johns coming up on the schedule. The last month of the Wildcats' schedule looks daunting and will be tough to navigate through successfully.

3. Pittsburgh (15-2)

The Panthers are a perfect 5-0 this season in conference play but needed overtime to dispel Louisville this weekend. They get challenged again when Georgetown comes calling, and the Hoyas look to break the Panthers 10-0 home record.

4. Georgetown (13-3)

The Hoyas are 4-2 in conference and just lost a heartbreaker to Villanova 82-77. The schedule doesn’t get any easier as they play Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Duke, and Villanova again within the next two weeks.

5. West Virginia (13-3)

The Mountaineers have an impressive Big East resume so far this season. They currently are 4-2, with both losses coming by two points or less. They get a shot at a surging Ohio State team this week, and a win against the Buckeyes would add to that tournament resume.

6.  Notre Dame (14-4)

The Irish are quietly having a terrific season and are flying under the Big East radar. They currently are 3-2 in conference, including a win over West Virginia. The 12-1 home record they’ve put together this season helps, too.

7. Marquette (11-6)

The Golden Eagles are 2-3 in conference, but all three losses are by two points each, and two of the losses are to Villanova. They’ve beaten Georgetown this season and just blew out Providence by 30 points. This team will take any Big East team wire to wire and has a favorable schedule coming up.

8. Louisville (12-6)

The Cardinals are 3-2 in conference play, but their wins are against lesser Big East foes. They gave Pittsburgh a thriller that went into overtime, but came up short in the end, proving this squad can compete but has problems coming up with a win against the big boys.

9. Connecticut (11-6)

The Huskies are a tough team to figure out this season. Currently, they are going through a three-game losing streak and only have two conference wins this season. The loss to a 10-7 Michigan team doesn’t help either.

10. Providence (11-7)

The Friars are a talented enough team to handle the lower Big East squads, but get exposed against the upper echelon teams. The 30-point loss to Marquette this week is a good example of that. When they win, it’s by double digits, but when they lose it's by the same margins.

11. St. John's (12-5)

The Red Storm gets the nod over the Bearcats, considering they just beat them this week. They started out conference play 0-3 but currently have a two-game winning streak going into the Connecticut game this week.

12. Cincinnati (12-6)

The Bearcats have been a roller coaster this season with wins against Connecticut and Notre Dame, but losses against Seton Hall, and St. Johns. They are a perfect example of a team that plays to its competition's talent level.

13. Seton Hall (10-6)

The Pirates are just 1-4 in conference play, but have been competitive on their home court this season. 

14. South Florida (11-6)

The Bulls have one conference win, as they beat a struggling Rutgers team. They have the talent to upset a top team, just not the consistency on offense.

15. Rutgers (9-8)

The Scarlet Knights are on a six-game losing streak and are winless in conference play. When does football season start?

 

16. DePaul (7-10)

The Blue Demons are 0-5 in conference play and have really separated themselves as the worst team in the Big East.

USF finally got on the board as they recorded its first Big East win of the season over Rutgers.

The Bulls got another strong performance out of Dominique Jones, who has scored at least 20 points in two straight games now.

Mike Mercer and Jarrid Famous both chipped in 13 points, while Toarlyn Fitzpatrick added 12 of his own. Anthony Crater, who has played sparingly since becoming eligible from transfer and his subsequent suspension, scored 10 points and hit a crucial three-point shot to seal the win for the Bulls.

The Bulls are getting along without Augustus Gilchrist as most would expect, with losses to better Big East teams and close games with the average and below average Big East Teams.

Rutgers (9-8), now going through a six-game losing streak, isn't quite sure which of the two categories it fits into. The more they play, the more they look like a below average team.

Mike Rosario limped off in the second half of the game against the Bulls. If sidelined for any length of time, the Scarlet Knights might just keep that streak going.

Despite the loss, Rutgers played a very balanced game on offense. Four players had 13 points, including the gimpy Rosario. Accompanying him in the scoring column were Mike Coburn, Jonathan Mitchell, and Hamady Ndiaye. Mitchell and Ndiaye had 11 and 10 rebounds, respectively, while Coburn chipped in seven assists.

USF (11-6) goes on the road for its next two games against Cincinnati (12-6) and Providence (11-6). The Bearcats have had a rough January, accumulating three of their six losses on the season during the month. The Bulls look to capitalize on their own momentum in hopes of stealing a win on the road against a very good Big East opponent.

Providence, much like USF, gets overmatched against the conference elite, but is very competitive with the rest of the conference. This will be a tough, hard fought game for the Bulls, one that’s winnable but also one that will have to be mistake free.

Providence is a tough team, evidenced by the fact they're 7-3 at home this season.

USF (10-6) was once again a one-man show during its 69-50 loss to No. 9 West Virginia. Dominique Jones had a game-high 28 points and eight rebounds, but it wasn’t enough, as the Bulls have started conference play off 0-4.

The Bulls need to find some support for their star player; no other player was in double figures. USF shot 33 percent from the field; they had 15 turnovers and two points off the bench.

West Virginia (13-2) shot 43 percent from the field but struggled from three-point range, only shooting 17 percent. The Mountaineers controlled the boards and outrebounded the Bulls 40-32.

Darryl Bryant and Devin Eubanks led a balanced attack, scoring 15 and 17 points, respectively. De’Sean Butler led the second-half charge and finished with 12 points and eight rebounds. West Virginia led by only two going into the half, 32-30, but pulled away, outscoring the Bulls 37-20 in the second half.

Eubanks led the game with 10 rebounds, but more importantly, he was a menace in the paint on both sides of the court. The Bulls didn’t have an answer, as Jarrid Famous did what he could to stop the Mountaineers' best post threat.

If USF couldn’t score in the paint, it certainly wasn’t going to come from its perimeter shooting. The Bulls finished going 1-16 from beyond the arc, a whopping six percent.

USF finally gets a realistic chance at getting its first conference win on the season when it takes on Rutgers (9-6) Saturday. This will be the first time this season the Bulls will be favored against a Big East opponent. Rutgers has been struggling much like USF, considering both teams come into the matchup 0-4.

The key matchup will be Dominique Jones, the Bulls' leading scorer, against Mike Rosario, who is Rutgers' leading scorer. Jones is averaging 18.9 points a game to Rosario’s 16.1 points. This will be another game that goes down to the wire, but the Bulls play tough at home and should finally get one in the win column.

USF suffered it’s 34th road loss out of 36 games in Big East play on its way to an 0-3 start in conference play so far this year. We all knew this would be a horrible mismatch for the Bulls, and they proved us right as they got pounded 82-65 by the No. 7 team in the nation.

The Bulls dug too deep of a hole in the first half to overcome in the second half as they went down 40-28 at halftime. They played tough in the second half being outscored 42-37, but the damage was already done.

USF hasn’t been able to fix its shooting woes since conference play started and today was a perfect example of that. The Bulls shot 40 percent from the field and a season low 16 percent from beyond the arc. They added 13 turnovers as the Orange defense stymied any second half comeback.

Dominique Jones had a game high 30 points and nine rebounds, but didn’t get much help from his supporting cast. Mike Mercer had 13 points and six rebounds as the only other player in double figures. Jarrid Famous added nine points and 12 rebounds but struggled against Wesley Johnson.

Syracuse (15-1) did what it always does against the Bulls, plays solid defense and gets a well rounded scoring effort as they cruise to an easy win. Four players were in double figures for the Orange, led by Wesley Johnson’s 19 points and 13 rebounds.

Ricky Jackson had 15 points, while Brandon Triche chipped in 10 points of his own. Arinze Onuaku got into foul trouble but still got 12 points and four rebounds in limited action.

The Orange shot 50 percent from the field and added 29 percent from behind the arc. They added 19 team assists to the Bulls 11, but were out rebounded 37-34.

USF (10-5) goes against West Virginia (12-2) on Wednesday for its fourth conference game. The road doesn’t get any easier for the Bulls this week, and they will have to fix their dismal three-point shooting if their going to have a chance in this one.

USF started the season with a full roster, but with injuries, transfers, and suspensions the bench is pretty lonely these days. Augustus Gilchrist will return from an ankle injury in a few weeks, that’s the good news; the bad news is Anthony Crater’s suspension doesn’t seem to have any end in sight. The transfers of Jordan Dumars and Justin Leemow have also left the Bulls scratching their heads this season.

Justin Leemow announced today that he will leave the team; no information was given if he will officially transfer to another school at this time. Jordan Dumars enrolled at Michigan yesterday and will play for them next year after he sits out this season.

Stan Heath has made no announcement of the status of Anthony Crater and it seems likely his playing days for the Bulls, which never existed in the first place, are over. Crater failed his second drug test and was suspended last month by coach Heath.

USF looked out of sync against Louisville in its conference opener last weekend. Tonight was a different story as the Bulls battled with Notre Dame in the friendly confines of the Sun Dome.

USF went into the half tied with the Irish (13-3), but got down for most of the second half. They stormed back in the last three minutes of the game led by Dominique Jones with a team-high 26 points.

Mike Mercer had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Jarrid Famous added 14 points and five rebounds as both players tried to equal Gilchrist's production. Toarlyn Fitzpatrick chipped in 13 points and six rebounds as the only other Bull in double figures.

The Bulls didn’t have an answer for Luke Harangody who had a game-high 36 points. Tory Jackson and Tyrone Nash both added 11 points, and Tim Abromaitis chipped in 10 points as the other Irish players in double figures.

Harangody had the game-winning point as he was fouled with 1.8 seconds left and made one of his two free throws giving the Irish a 74-73 win in Tampa.

USF (10-4) is now 0-2 in conference play, but looked much improved from the Louisville game. Their next game is going to be a tough one as they travel to Syracuse (13-1). If the Bulls keep this game close it will be a moral victory and something they can build some confidence on. 

This week saw the opening of Big East conference play, along with some huge matchups and eye-opening losses.

Both Syracuse and West Virginia lost, Pittsburgh proved to be a contender, Seton Hall continues to show it shouldn’t be underestimated, and DePaul once again sits in the basement.

It’s been a crazy week, with more surprises guaranteed to follow.

1. Syracuse (13-1)

The Orange had their first slip-up of the regular season, coming out flat in a home loss to Pittsburgh. However, Syracuse still has the most impressive résumé in the Big East, with big wins over Cal and UNC at Madison Square Garden and Florida in the Gators' home state.

The Orange won their first Big East match on the road against a good Seton Hall club, and if they can find their shooting touch, and their hustle, once again, they will be very difficult to beat on any given night.

2. Villanova (12-1)

Villanova is the anti-West Virginia. They don't have a great post presence, but like most years, the Wildcats are absolutely littered with talent at guard. If Nova is hot, they can run any team out of the building.

3. West Virginia (11-1)

Without a doubt, the Mountaineers have the best loss of any of the one-time losers, on the road at Purdue. The problem? They got annihilated. The game was barely competitive, and it raises serious doubts as to whether the Mountaineers are truly an elite team.

4. Georgetown (11-1)

The Hoyas are quietly holding a top 15 ranking with solid wins against Washington and Butler.

5. Cincinnati (10-3)

The Bearcats already have an impressive conference win with their victory over the Huskies.

6. Pittsburgh (12-2)

The Panthers may not be in the top 10 in this league in terms of talent, and certainly not in experience. However, their tough brand of basketball, which pushes the boundaries of what referees will call a foul, will continue to make them tough to beat.

7. Connecticut (10-3)

The Huskies aren't an NCAA Tournament lock in the least bit, as they have yet to win a notable game.

8. Louisville (10-4)

They got off to about as poor of a start as is possible on Saturday, but they overcame it to give Kentucky a moderately competitive game. Considering the early season losses they suffered, just staying within 20 of the Wildcats may be a sign that Rick Pitino has the Cardinals heading in the right direction.

9. Seton Hall (9-4)

Despite being 0-2 in Big East play (against the league's two toughest teams—Syracuse and West Virginia), Seton Hall is an explosive offensive team, led by gunner Jeremy Hazell, who might be the best pure scorer in the league. If he goes off, Seton Hall is a dangerous team night in and night out.

Forward Herb Pope is one of the league's premier rebounders, and when he's coupled with Hazell, they can make for a formidable one-two punch for the Pirates.

10. Notre Dame (12-3)

The Irish found success in their weak out of conference slate but will struggle mightily if Luke Harangody does not get help from the rest of the team.

11. Marquette (9-5)

Very disappointing to see the Golden Eagles lose two close games against the top teams in the league, but those results bode well for future games against everybody else.

12. St. John's (10-4)

A disastrous start to Big East play has the Johnnies headed back to the basement of the league.

13. Providence (9-5)

They looked destined to finish 15th in the league, but a strong win in NYC against SJU makes me think otherwise.

14. South Florida (10-3)

The Bulls desperately need Augustus Gilchrist back in action.

15. Rutgers (9-4)

Someday they will be relevant. Without Gregory Echenique, that won't be this year.

16. DePaul (7-7)

They gave the Hoyas a game, but the Blue Demons are clearly the bottom feeder in the conference.

Contributions to this article were made by Dan Kelley, Dan Lyons, and Jameson Fleming.

The Bulls didn’t get off the start they wanted to in conference play as they fell 52-73 to Louisville on the road. The Bulls will have an uphill climb this season, and that includes when they get their star center Augustus Gilchrist back at the end of the month.

USF played tough in the first half going into halftime down 32-31 but was out-scored 41-21 in the second half. The Bulls shot a season low 11 percent from behind the arc and couldn’t hit much of anything down the stretch as the Cardinals pulled away early in the second half. The Bulls shot only 38 percent from the field.

The Bulls have lost to Louisville 10 times in a row, and they made it easy by turning the ball over 21 times and missing more than half their free throws. Louisville’s largest lead was 21 points in the second half as they opened up with a 15-0 run.

Jarrid Famous had 12 points and Toarlyn Fitzpatrick add 11 as the only two Bulls players in double figures. Dominique Jones had his worst offensive performance of the season and finished with only five points on a 2-6 shooting night after fouling out with almost 13 minutes left in the second half.

Edgar Sosa led the Cardinals with 16 points and got support from both Samardo Samuels and Jared Swopshire who chipped in 12 points apiece. Louisville shot only 20 percent from three-point range but overcame their poor perimeter shooting by going 45 percent from the field.

USF (10-3) will try and break even in conference play when it takes on Notre Dame (11-2) on Tuesday. The Bulls have a tough schedule in the opening month of conference play but need to stay competitive until Gilchrist returns. His defensive presence along with scoring performance will dramatically improve this struggling team.