USF men’s basketball has five games left. Here’s how they could play out.
USF men’s basketball is on fire as the NCAA tournament draws near – even flirting with the school’s first top-25 ranking.
The Bulls’ (19-5, 12-1 AAC) latest victory, a 90-86 dogfight over No. 24 ranked FAU, brought their record-breaking winning streak up to 11 in a row.
The win also solidified their position at the top of the AAC, with the Bulls’ only conference loss being a 75-71 result at UAB on Jan. 7.
Related: USF upsets No. 24 FAU in second-half thriller
But with the AAC tournament less than a month away and more to accomplish, USF coach Amir Abdur-Rahim said his team has remained focused.
“Every day they’ve come in the gym with the same hunger, same attitude,” Abdur-Rahim said following the win over FAU. “They don’t practice like they’re in first place, they practice like they’re focused on today.”
With just five games left in the regular season, here’s a look at the remaining schedule for the Bulls:
Rematch in Texas
The Bulls’ next game is a matchup with UTSA in San Antonio.
The last time these teams met was an 89-72 South Florida win on Jan. 27. UTSA (8-18, 2-11 AAC) is currently in a three-way tie for last place in the AAC.
But USF will need to refocus after its big win at home to avoid any chance of an upset. Otherwise, this game should be a layup for South Florida.
“If we go down to UTSA on Wednesday and don’t play like we’re a first-place team and don’t prepare, nobody’s gonna be talking about this [FAU win] anymore,” Abdur-Rahim said.
The Roadrunners own the worst scoring defense in division one basketball, allowing 83.6 points per game.
The Bulls should look to their red-hot three-point shooting, as UTSA opponents make 38.3% of their attempts from beyond the arc.
Battle for first place
Following the matchup with UTSA, the Bulls play in two games that will most likely decide who wins the AAC.
USF will host SMU on Sunday before hitting the road to take on Charlotte March 3.
SMU (19-7, 10-3 AAC) has quietly been one of the most balanced teams in the country this year.
The Mustangs have a top 75 scoring offense along with the 32nd best scoring defense nationally.
Charlotte (17-8, 11-2 AAC) will also prove to be a challenging opponent for the Bulls.
With wins over UTSA and SMU, South Florida could come into this game with a chance at the AAC regular season title.
The last time these teams matched up on Feb. 6, USF had to overcome a 15-point deficit in the second half to pull out a victory.
Related: Bulls claim first place in the conference with comeback win over Charlotte
Although the Bulls hold first place in the conference, the 49ers are just one game behind and could take the top spot with a win next week.
“We’re going to make sure we stay focused on our ultimate goal,” Abdur-Rahim said. “The biggest thing we have right now, we control our destiny. We can control the things that happen as long as we stay with that growth and humility.”
High-scoring matchups to end the season
The Bulls will end the regular season with games against Tulane and Tulsa.
Tulane (13-12, 4-9 AAC) can score with the best of them, owning the best scoring offense in the AAC while ranking 13th nationally.
This game could have the potential for an upset if the Bulls are not locked in defensively.
The Green Wave are also allowing 80.1 points per game, so look for this game to turn into a shootout.
USF’s final game comes at Tulsa (13-12, 4-9 AAC), a team the Bulls handled with ease just a week ago. Tulsa fell 69-50 in Tampa on Feb. 14.
The Bulls will need to lock down freshman guard PJ Haggerty, the Golden Hurricanes’ leading scorer.
The talented freshman is averaging 20.2 points per game, and put up 19 points the last time these teams met.
If South Florida can make it through these final few weeks unscathed, they will be looking at a number one seed in the AAC tournament and a great chance of taking part in the NCAA tournament.
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