USF men’s basketball will play its first game in the American Athletic Conference tournament (AAC) on Thursday against Wichita State, looking to turn the page on a challenging year.

The Bulls (13-18, 6-12 AAC) enter the postseason on a four-game losing streak, encapsulating what has been a tumultuous campaign for the team.

Related: USF’s Jayden Reid wants to be ‘more than just a basketball player’

In a press conference Monday, interim head coach Ben Fletcher, along with junior guard Kobe Knox and sophomore guard Jayden Reid, addressed their thoughts on the season.

Instead of dwelling on the negatives, all three focused on what did work for USF this year — building chemistry amid adversity. 

Knox said the team’s strong bond could lead the Bulls to make an improbable tournament run.

“We have good on- and off-the-court relationships,” Knox said. “We want to show that as we go into the tournament, we are the most connected team.”

Before the Bulls started the season, tragedy struck. 

The team’s head coach, Amir Abdur-Rahim, died in October due to complications from a medical procedure. Abdur-Rahim led South Florida to a historic campaign in 2023-24, including a program-record 25 wins.

In his place, Fletcher assumed the mantle as interim head coach. The former assistant coach said the team’s unity is exactly what Abdur-Rahim would have wanted.

“They’ve bonded more and more as the season has gone on,” Fletcher said. “That’s what Amir would’ve wanted—for them to lean on and trust each other.”

Reid echoed the comments from his teammate and coach. When asked what kept the team together this season, the Bulls’ leading scorer said camaraderie helped them through hard times.

“Our connectedness and our love for each other,” Reid said. “There’s been a lot of highs and lows this season, and no matter what happened, we always stuck together.”

USF faced several challenges throughout the regular season. The team ranked last in the conference in opponent rebounds per game. The Bulls also shot 31% from three, ranking them 10th out of 13 teams in the AAC.

South Florida also endured multiple lineup changes this season due to injury. Among players who missed time was junior forward De’ante Green. He sustained a foot injury versus Rice on Jan. 28, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Despite the circumstances, Fletcher said he isn’t looking for grace for how the season went. He said he doesn’t give much focus to praise or criticism of his leadership.

“The opinion people have on me—I can’t let that affect me, good or bad,” Fletcher said. “After a win, I can’t sit here and look at the cheers, and if we lose one, I can’t look at the boos.”

To make the NCAA tournament, the Bulls will need to rattle off four straight wins. The Bulls achieved this feat earlier this season, with consecutive wins over East Texas A&M, Weber International, East Carolina, and Wichita State. 

The first half of the win streak came against subpar competition. Both the Lions and the Warriors finished with less than 10 wins on the season.

Reid said the team could pull off another four straight wins, it’s just a matter of them being on the same page.

“Once we settle in and find a rhythm together, I feel like we’re one of the most dangerous teams in the conference,” Reid said. “Going into the tournament, finding that cohesiveness—no one’s going to want to see us.”

USF men’s basketball travels to Fort Worth to take on Wichita State at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and Bulls Unlimited.