TAMPA, DEC.  17, 2016 – Sophomore guard Jahmal McMurray scored a season-high 25 points in USF's 77-66 loss to No. 16/15 South Carolina Saturday at the Sun Dome.

The Bulls (5-4) held their largest lead of the game, 35-29, with 1:14 left to play in the first half, and took a 37-31 lead into the break. It was the most points that the Gamecocks (9-1) had allowed all season in the first half. South Carolina entered the game No. 2 in the NCAA in scoring defense (56.8) and field goal percentage defense (33.8).

South Carolina tied the game, 46-46, following a dunk by Chris Silva, with 15:22 remaining. A 9-0 scoring run gave the Gamecocks a 57-51 lead with 10:52 left to play. The Bulls scored the next five points, including one of five 3-pointers by McMurray, to cut the deficit to one point, 57-56, with 9:08 remaining. SC's Justin McKie answered with a 3-pointer as the Gamecocks outscored the Bulls 46-29 in the second half.

It was another good shooting effort from the Bulls, who shot 42 percent from the field. USF has shot at least 42 percent in all but one game this season. USF was 6-of-11 from 3-point range.

South Carolina used its nationally ranked defense to force 17 USF turnovers.   

Freshman forward Malik Fitts (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) and junior guard Geno Thorpe (Pittsburgh) joined McMurray in scoring double figures. Fitts posted 12 points and a career-high eight rebounds. Thorpe registered 11 points and a career-high nine rebounds.

The Gamecocks were led by P.J. Dozier with 23 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Quotables

USF head coach Orlando Antigua
On the positives to take from the game:

"We've got to understand that the game is 40 minutes, not 20. We did a lot of positive things. We have to keep doing that by building those things that put us in position to win games."

"We wanted to take care of the ball, try to control the backboard and meet their physicality. Defensively they want to get you out of your offensive. We wanted to get to the free throw line and I thought we did a good job at doing that."

"With their team and the way they defend, you have to be aggressive. I thought it was a game that fit for Jahmal, Geno and Malik. I thought Malik did a really solid job for us."

On Malik Fitts:

"He's playing the way he's practicing. He's competing and being physical. As a freshman, it takes some time to get used to playing college games. What gets us excited is how much more he has to improve and he can improve. Obviously, he does a lot of good things that help us."

On South Carolina's defense:

"Nationally they're one of the top defensive teams. With that being said, you want to get to the free throw line. They're not going to allow you to reverse and get to the shot. So, you have to compensate that by getting to the free throw line, which I thought we did. I think if you take away what they shot from three and some of the transitions with easy baskets in the second half, we might be having a different conversation."

South Carolina head coach Frank Martin
On USF:
"I think this is a great place but it's hard. Orlando got here and there were some issues in place already. I've kind of lived it at South Carolina. I'm lucky. I'm not going to say we turned the corner because we haven't gotten anything accomplished yet. It's hard, it's not easy to turn a program around and go from down here to up there. It's a never-ending story but when I watch his team, I tell him, this group of guys looks like they really enjoy playing with each other. They're fighting for one another. They were down to Bethune-Cookman but those kids never threw in the towel. I've got to tell you, when I watched them last year on film, when they got down they kind of said I can't wait for the buzzer to sound. It's a completely different team. I'm rooting for them. I want to see this school do well. I'm a fan of the schools in Florida."

Key Stats

·        South Carolina shot 35.3 percent from the field in the first half and 53.6 percent in the second half.

·        The Gamecocks recorded 18 assists and seven turnovers. USF had five assists and 17 turnovers.

Notables:

·        McMurray made five 3-pointers, the fifth time in his career that he had at least five three's in a game. He has made a 3-pointer in 31 consecutive games.

·        USF was outscored in the paint for just the second time this season (Elon). SC won the battle 30-24.

·        Isaiah Manderson made his USF debut, checking into the game in the first half. The Texas Tech transfer played three minutes.

·        McMurray made his first start of the season.

·        There were eight ties and eight lead changes.

·        Prior to the game, Ruben Guerrero was honored for his NCAA DI Male Sportsmanship Award.

·        The game was themed, "Uniendo Los Toros." Martin and Antigua are two of the three Latino-American NCAA Division I men's basketball coaches. USF wore its special "Los Toros" uniforms.

Up Next:

In the penultimate game before Christmas Day, USF hosts Northern Illinois, Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The USF men's basketball team is led by Orlando Antigua, who is in his third season as the head coach after spending the previous six season as an assistant to Naismith Hall of Fame coach John Calipari. The Bulls are led by Preseason All-American Athletic Conference member Jahmal McMurray who scored the second-most points ever by a USF freshman last season. The Bulls also feature freshman Tulio Da Silva, junior Ruben Guerrero, sophomore Troy Holston and junior Geno Thorpe.

USF has retired three numbers in its 46-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. In the 2011-12 season, USF was one win away from an appearance in the Sweet 16.

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