By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, NOV. 9, 2015 – Chris Perry led four Bulls double figures with 16 points as USF tuned up for the season with a 78-64 exhibition win over Eckerd College at the Sun Dome on Monday night.
Senior center Jaleel Cousins scored 14 points while going 4-for-4 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free throw line in 23 minutes. The 6-foot-11 senior center dropped 10 pounds in the offseason and used his increased mobility to post nine rebounds and five of USF's 12 blocks.
“The commitment he made to help this ball club, I thought really sparked this summer and what you're seeing now,” head coach Orlando Antigua said. “He's playing a lot more minutes because he can sustain that energy. He's a big, physical presence who does a great job rebounding the ball when he gets after it.”
Antigua also liked what he saw from newcomer Angel Nunez, who finished with 13 points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes. The 6-foot-8 senior forward made his USF debut after playing for Gonzaga the past two seasons.
Freshman guard Jahmal McMurray also was productive in his Bulls debut with 10 points. Sophomore guard Roddy Peters made the most of his 14 minutes with eight points, a team-high four assists and two steals.
Sophomore forward Bo Zeigler brought his usual brand of tough defense with five blocks to go along with seven points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Nehemias Morillo added eight points and four rebounds.
Perry looked sharp in his return to action, going 5-for-7 from the field and 6-for-8 from the free throw line with nine rebounds in 25 minutes. The 6-foot-8 junior from Bartow, Fla., is back in top shape after missing 12 games with a health issue last season.
USF shot 53 percent from the field (28-for-52) overall and 60 percent in the first half on the way to a 46-32 lead at the break. The Bulls kept an Eckerd comeback out of reach by grabbing a 43-32 rebounding advantage with 22 second-chance points. Eckerd shot 31.9 percent from the field (23-for-72) and Jerrick Stevenson led three Tritons in double figures with 15 points.
“You have to give Tom (Ryan) a lot of credit. His ball club came out and played really hard, played really aggressive and it was really good for us,” Antigua said.
USF opens the regular season with a test against Troy 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Sun Dome. Reserve your seats at USFBullsTix.com.
The USF men's basketball team returns seven from last season's team including regular starters Ruben Guerrero, Chris Perry, Nehemias Morillo and Bo Zeigler. Orlando Antigua is in his second season as the head coach after spending the previous five season as an assistant to Naismith Hall of Fame coach John Calipari. USF's schedule is comprised of nine teams which had an RPI of 54 or better last season. The Bulls host 19 games, five of those teams made the NCAA Tournament last season.
