USF Athletics

Bulls Conclude Hoosier Tip-Off Classic Sunday

November 25, 2017

Matchup: Eastern Michigan (4-1) at USF (4-2)
Date: Sunday, Nov. 26
Time: 4 p.m.
Location: Tampa, Fla. | USF Sun Dome (10,411)
TV: ESPN3 (Ari Shanok, Mike O'Donnell)
Radio: AM 820 | GoUSFBulls.com | USF Bulls Unlimited (Jim Lighthall, Neil Solondz)
Follow: Listen | Stats | Twitter

TAMPA, NOV. 25, 2017 – The University of South Florida men's basketball team concludes the four-game Hoosier Tip-Off Classic on Sunday, Nov. 26 against Eastern Michigan. Tip-off is slated for 4 p.m.

The game is the third in five days at the USF Sun Dome. The Bulls have a two-game road trip scheduled next, travelling to Elon and Appalachian State beginning on Thursday, Nov. 30.

USF is 2-1 so far in the Hoosier Tip-Off Classic, winning two straight home games against Howard and Arkansas State. The Bulls defeated the Red Wolves on Friday, 72-61.

Malik Martin (Miami, Fla.) led the way for the Bulls, securing his first career double-double. He scored 24 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, both of which were career highs. The 24 point outing was also the most scored by a Bull this season. The game marked his first start at USF and only the second different starting lineup the Bulls used this season.

Tulio Da Silva (Formiga, Brazil) came off the bench for the first time this season and scored 13 points with six boards to be second on the team in both categories.
  
THE OPPONENT 
Eastern Michigan (4-1) was handed its first loss of the season at Indiana on Friday night, losing 87-67. They defeated Howard and Arkansas State in their first two games of the Hoosier Tip-Off Classic, making both the Bulls and the Eagles 2-1 so far in the Classic.

Forward Elijah Minnie dropped 20 points at Indiana to lead the Eagles, going 5-11 from beyond the arc and pulling down seven rebounds. Minnie leads EMU with 18.4 points per game.

Forward/center James Thompson IV is the leading rebounder and the second-leading scorer, averaging 15 points and 12 boards per contest.

The Bulls and Eagles have met once previously, on Dec. 29, 1976. Eastern Michigan took that neutral site contest, 60-48.

NOTABLES

• Wing Payton Banks (Orange, Calif.) will appear in his 100^th career game on Sunday. He played in 93 games, making 44 starts, at Penn State before transferring to USF.
• USF has allowed only 62.8 points per game, the third-best scoring defense in the American Athletic Conference.
• USF is shooting 78.0 percent (96-for-123) from the free throw line this season, good for second best in the AAC.
• Malik Martin's 9-for-11 performance from the field on Friday vaulted him into fourth place in the conference in field goal percentage. Martin is shooting 64.9 percent this season from the field.
• Terrence Samuel (Brooklyn, N.Y.) is averaging 4.8 assists per game, third in the AAC.

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.