Bulls travel to Rutgers looking for sweep

MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME TIMEUSF (11-17, 2-13) at Rutgers (10-19, 2-14)When: Sat., 7:30 p.m.Where: Louis Brown Athletic CenterTV/Radio: ESPN360, 1250 AM

For the third time since joining the Big East Conference, the USF men’s basketball team will not make the conference tournament.

The Bulls, however, have an opportunity to do something they have yet to do in the Big East – win a conference road game.

The Bulls lost their first 23 Big East road games – the longest conference road losing streak in the nation. Last week, USF had a lead late in the game at Fifth Third Arena but fell to the Cincinnati Bearcats by just one point.

The Bulls (11-17, 2-13) travel to New Jersey Saturday to play the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (10-19, 2-14) – a team that USF beat 68-45 Jan. 2 to open conference play.

USF had big games out of senior center Kentrell Gransberry and freshman guard Dominique Jones – who set the USF freshman scoring record during the Bulls’ 79-75 loss to Seton Hall on Tuesday – during its January game against the Scarlet Knights.

Jones led the Bulls with a game-high 24 points, while Gransberry added 20 points and 17 rebounds during the teams’ first meeting.

“Dominique has had a terrific freshman season,” Heath said. “There are so many great freshman in the Big East and around the country and I’m extremely happy with the one I have. Dominique can compete with any player in the country.”

USF will aim to shut down junior forward J.R. Inman of the Scarlet Knights. Inman leads Rutgers in both points (12.6) and rebounds (7.1) per game.

Another player the Bulls will look to keep in check is freshman guard Corey Chandler.

Chandler is second on the Scarlet Knights with 11.7 ppg and adds 3.7 rpg.