USF Athletics

USF Travels to Indiana to Open Hoosier Tip-Off Classic

November 18, 2017

Matchup: USF (2-1) at Indiana (1-2)
Date: Sunday, Nov. 19
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Bloomington, Ind. | : Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222)
Watch: Big Ten Network (Brandon Gaudin, Bob Wenzel)
Radio: AM 820 | GoUSFBulls.com | Bulls Unlimited (Jim Lighthall, Joey Johnston)
Follow: Stats | Twitter

TAMPA, NOV. 18, 2017 – The University of South Florida men's basketball team looks to win its second straight road game in the opener of the Hoosier Tip-Off Classic against Indiana (1-2). This is the Bulls' first matchup with a Big Ten team since Nov. 20, 2011, when USF dropped a low scoring affair, 53-49, against Penn State in the Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic in Uncasville, Conn.

The Bulls won their first road game of the season on Wednesday night (Nov. 15) at Stetson, 75-72, behind 18 points each from Payton Banks (Orange, Calif.) and Stephan Jiggetts (Forrestville, Md.). Terrence Samuel (Brooklyn, N.Y.) chipped in 15 points with career highs in rebounds (eight) and assists (seven).
  
THE OPPONENT 
Indiana (1-2) lost its last game at No. 22 Seton Hall, 84-68, as part of the Gavitt Tip-Off Games. The Hoosiers also dropped their season opener to Indiana State, 90-69, at Assembly Hall. Their lone win came in the second game of the season against Howard in their first game of the Hoosier Tip-Off Classic. The Bulls will face Howard at the Sun Dome on Nov. 22.

The Hoosiers' leading scorer so far this season is sophomore forward De'Ron Davis, who is averaging 11.7 points through three games. He leads the Big Ten, shooting 78.9 percent (15-for-19) from the field.

The matchup marks the first meeting between USF and Indiana. Hoosiers first-year head coach Archie Miller was USF head coach Brian Gregory's replacement at Dayton when Gregory took the Georgia Tech head coaching job following the 2010-11 season.

NOTABLES

• Brian Gregory secured his 250^th career head coaching victory against Stetson. Gregory won 172 games as the head coach at Dayton from 2003-11 and won 78 games at Georgia Tech from 2011-16 before arriving at USF.
• The Bulls last defeated a Big Ten opponent on Dec. 6, 1997, a 67-49 win at Ohio State. USF is 7-13 all-time against Big Ten opponents.
• USF is shooting 81.0% (47-for-58) so far this season from the free throw line, good for second in the American Athletic Conference. Guard Stephan Jiggetts is 9-of-10 from the line this season and guard Terrence Samuel is 14-of-16 to lead the way for the Bulls.
• Center Nikola Scekic (Belgrade, Serbia) pulled down a career high seven boards against Stetson, and also tied his career high with four points.

About USF Men's Basketball
The USF men's basketball team is led by head coach Brian Gregory. On March 22, Gregory was introduced as the 10^th head coach in program history. He previously led programs at Georgia Tech (2011-16) and Dayton (2003-11). Gregory spent nearly a decade as an assistant coach under Michigan State's Hall of Fame head coach Tom Izzo and helped the Spartans win the 2000 NCAA National Championship. Gregory brings nearly 250 career head coaching wins and six postseason appearances, including the 2010 NIT Championship, to Tampa.

USF has retired three numbers in its 47-year history: Chucky Atkins (12), Charlie Bradley (30) and Radenko Dobras (31). The Bulls have earned three NCAA tournament bids and appeared in the NIT eight times.

For tickets, contact the USF Ticket Office at 1-800-Go-Bulls or by going online to USFBullsTix.com.