Still looking for their first Big East win of the season, the Bulls (9-9, 0-4) will host the Marquette Golden Eagles (14-3, 2-2) in the Sun Dome at 3:30 Sunday afternoon.
The two teams enter the game at opposite ends of the momentum spectrum.
USF has had the lead with 10 minutes remaining in six games this season but has lost on all six occasions. The Bulls put up a fight against No. 14 DePaul in Chicago Tuesday night, trailing by only two in the second half, before a 12-minute scoring drought allowed the Blue Demons to win by five points. That loss extended the losing streak to five games.
The Bulls haven’t won since a 61-55 overtime victory over Southern Methodist University during the Basketball Travelers Classic in Las Vegas on Dec. 19.
By contrast, Marquette visits Tampa with positive momentumcoming off seven wins in their most recent eight games, including two straight victories over ranked opponents.
On Jan. 8, Marquette freshmanguard Gabi Minix drained a 3-pointer late in the secondovertime period to stun No. 15 Georgetown in Washington, D.C.
In their last game, Marquettehanded a blowout 15-pointloss to West Virginia, the Mountaineers’ first loss of the season. West Virginia was ranked No. 6 and had the nation’s longest active winning streak prior to the 69-54 defeat at the hands of the Golden Eagles.
As a result of recent victories, Marquette is one of eight conference teams to receive votes in the Associated Press poll, but remains unranked.
