USF Men's Basketball
USF vs. Providence
Feb. 27, 2010
USF Sun Dome
Postgame Notes

TEAM
USF scored more than 80 points for just the second time this season, the other time was the last outing against Providence on Jan. 23, when the Bulls defeated the Friars 109-105 in overtime.

USF hit 32-of-38 (84.2%) at the free throw line against Providence. The previous season-best was 82.4 percent (14-17) against Notre Dame on Jan. 5.

USF hit 32-of-56 from the field, shooting 57.1 percent from the field, the best clip of the season. The previous best was 24-of-45, 53.3 percent, against Virginia.

USF shot 18-of-24 (75%) during a stretch from 11-minute mark of the first half to the under 12 minute timeout of the second period. 

Coach Stan Heath has a sweep of a BIG EAST team in all three of his seasons with the Bulls, doubling up wins on Rutgers (2007-08), DePaul (2008-09) and now Providence.

The Bulls are now 3-5 all-time against the Friars and Coach Stan Heath is now 2-2 all-time against Providence.

With their 17-11 overall record, the Bulls are chasing the school's best record since 2001-02, when USF won 19 games and played in the NIT. Ten years prior, USF also had 19 wins and played in the NCAA Tournament.
2009-10 - 17-11
2001-02 - 19-13 - NIT
1991-92 - 19-10 - NCAA

USF has posted a 17-win season just five times in 39 seasons of men's basketball.
1981-82, 17-11 Sun Belt
1983-84, 17-11 Sun Belt
1997-98, 17-13 C-USA
1999-00, 17-14 C-USA
2009-10, 17-11 BIG EAST

USF has collected 17 wins or more only 15 times in 39 seasons of men's basketball.
17 wins 1981-82, 1983-84, 1997-98, 1999-00, 2009-10
18 wins 1980-81, 1984-85, 1994-95, 2000-01
19 wins 1975-76, 1990-91, 1991-92, 2001-02
20 wins 1989-90
21 wins none
22 wins 1982-83

INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Head Coach Stan Heath picked up his 150th career win with the victory over Providence.

Junior guard Dominique Jones, sophomore forward Augustus Gilchrist and senior guard Chris Howard scored 26, 21 and 20 points, respectively, against Providence. The last time two players scored 20 points or more was on Feb. 25, 2009 when Jones had 20 and Augustus Gilchrist had 20 at Seton Hall.

Gilchrist scored 21 points against PC, the most since his 27 against FAU on Nov. 27.

Howard made his 100th career start in tonight's game against Providence. He has played in 104 career games as a Bull.

Howard has scored double-digit points in eight of the last 11 games.

Jones was 14-of-16 (87.5%) at the line accounting for the seventh game this season that he has hit at least 10 free throws in a game.

With his 26 points, Jones was just one rebound shy of his sixth career double-double.

Jones moved into fifth place on USF's single-season point total with his 600 points, surpassing Altron Jackson's 587 in 2000-01. Jones now trails Jackson's fourth-place 2001-02 season total of 616.

Jones also took over second place on USF's single-season free throws made list. Jones now has 172 free throws on the season, trailing Charlie Bradley's category-leading 189 made free throws in 1982-83.

Senior guard Mike Mercer scored 18 points, just one point shy of his career high of 19, which he accomplished twice this season, the last time at Providence on Jan. 23.

Mercer tied his season high in minutes played with 37, which he has done three times this season.

Sophomore guard Anthony Crater drained a pair of long balls for just the second time in his short USF career. The other time was at Georgetown on Feb. 3.