Tuesday night was another chapter in a decades-long rivalry. 

And for USF men’s basketball, it was a cathartic way to extend its most successful season in program history. 

USF took down cross-state rival UCF in a 83-77 victory in the opening round of the NIT, reaching a school record of 25 wins this season. 

The matchup may have transcended the AAC, but the animosity between the two programs remains the same.

Respective student sections – placed on opposing sides of the arena – shouted jeers at one another throughout the duration of the game. 

Senior guard Selton Miguel – who played against UCF as a member of the Bulls last season – is one of the few USF players who’ve experienced this rivalry first-hand. 

“I knew coming in it would be a pretty intense game,” he said. “I told the guys to keep their heads up, because you never know what’s going to happen.” 

Miguel’s advice would come in handy. The Bulls almost saw a double-digit lead slip away in the second half.  

USF played opportunistic defense in the first half – forcing seven turnovers, including two shot clock violations. For the Knights, the self-inflicted wounds seemed to keep piling up. UCF made only five of its 12 free-throw attempts in the first half. 

On the other side of the ball, it was a prolific half of shooting. The Bulls shot 58% from the floor. 

Miguel drained a buzzer-beating three – the Bulls’ ninth of the half – as they headed into halftime with a 49-35 lead. 

The Bulls have built themselves on adversity all season. This game was no different. 

UCF chipped away at USF’s lead – which reached 15 at one point in the second half. The Bulls’ first-half spark seemed to fade. 

The game also amped up in physicality. 

Players hit the deck. Various shoving matches occurred. UCF came within two points from the lead as both teams traded scores throughout the final minutes. 

But the Bulls never lost their lead – something they held for the final 59 minutes of the game. 

Bulls coach Amir Abdur-Rahim coached his first “War on I-4” game the season after the rivalry was seemingly disbanded. He wants to see the former annual-matchup continued.

“[UCF head coach Johnny Dawkins] We’re talking to see if there’s a way to keep it going,” Abdur-Rahim said. “I think it’s great for both teams. It’s an opportunity for both teams to get a quality win and an opportunity for our fan bases to see great basketball.” 

The win marks their first NIT victory since 1995. They’ve appeared in the tournament three times since then, losing all three games. 

Heading into a second-round matchup against either VCU or Villanova, Abdur-Rahim reiterated the importance of composure coming off an emotional win. 

“Whether we’re going to be at home or on the road… we have to flush it because we want to keep playing,” he said. 

Men’s basketball will face the winner of Wednesday’s matchup between VCU and Villanova on Saturday. Tip off time will be announced at a later date.