Bulls rally, fade in loss to Cuse
USF couldn’t have asked for a better start to Wednesday’s men’s basketball game at No. 2 Syracuse, taking control early and then trading scoring runs before ultimately losing 56-48.
The Bulls (17-11, 10-5) quieted the Carrier Dome crowd, quickly jumping out to an 18-5 lead with 9:38 remaining in the first half. The Orange opened the game sluggishly, shooting 2-of-10 from the field early on.
Yet USF’s offense hit a wall, closing the first half with zero points in the final 8:53 and trailing 24-20 as Syracuse found its rhythm and started taking control. The Orange ending the half on a 15-0 scoring run.
Syracuse’s run extended all the way to 24-0 before the Bulls again found a footing, cutting a 33-20 deficit with 17:25 remaining to a 36-31 deficit with an 11-3 run of their own.
USF cut the deficit to just one point with 6:25 remaining before Syracuse pulled away, easing to a 9-point win.
The loss drops USF back into a tie for fifth place in the Big East with three games remaining in the regular season, beginning Sunday at home against Cincinnati at noon.
– Reporting by Michael Manganello
More Stories
USF women’s lacrosse nabs first win in program history
At long last, women’s lacrosse made its debut at USF. In its first game in program history, USF defeated Kennesaw State 19-6 at a packed Corbett Stadium Friday night. Bulls coach Mindy McCord was hired nearly three years ago. Since then, it’s been a constant cycle of recruiting and practice. On Friday, the moment finally […]
USF softball falls in defensive battle against Michigan
Coming off a pair of wins on opening day versus Delaware and Illinois State, USF softball took the field Friday evening looking to extend its streak. The Bulls (2-1) had a chance to make it three straight victories, but fell short against No. 22 Michigan 1-0. Related: USF softball has its eyes on regionals: ‘Hungry […]
USF men’s basketball wins 2OT thriller, AAC honors Abdur-Rahim
As USF pulled out a victory at home, the American Athletic Conference honored former Bulls coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, who passed away last year. USF came away with a 100-91 overtime thriller against Temple on Thursday night, marking the Bulls’ fifth American Athletic Conference victory. Interim head coach Ben Fletcher said USF’s win was important for […]
USF football bolsters 2025 class with key late signing additions
USF head coach Alex Golesh emphasized targeted recruiting efforts as USF added two more signees Wednesday at the start of the NCAA’s late signing period. “We were going to build a program rather than a team,” Golesh said at Wednesday’s press conference. “Each year, we’ve taken fewer transfers, but they’ve been more targeted.” The Bulls’ […]
Former USF coach Charlie Strong heading back to the NFL
Charlie Strong, the last coach to preside over a ranked USF team, will be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ new defensive line coach. The news was first reported by NFL Networks’ Ian Rapoport on Wednesday. Strong, 64, was hired at USF in 2016 after previous stints at Louisville and Texas. He compiled a 21-16 record in […]
USF players have a long history at the Super Bowl
Super Bowl 59 will be the first matchup in six straight years without a USF alumnus on the rosters. South Florida has built a reputation in the NFL, with former Bulls having made consistent appearances in the Super Bowl. Fifteen Bulls have made a total of 22 appearances in the “Big Game” despite the fact […]