By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

WICHITA, Kan., JAN. 7, 2018 – Malik Martin posted a team-high 13 points in shorthanded USF's 95-57 conference loss at No. 9 Wichita State on Sunday.

Martin (Miami) went 6-for-9 from the field on an afternoon that saw the Bulls (7-10, 0-4) shoot 36 percent from the field. Martin also tied with freshman Justin Brown for the team lead with five rebounds apiece.

After trailing, 51-20, at the half, USF look much improved after the break with freshman David Collins scoring 10 of his 12 total points in his second double-digit scoring game in his past four outings. USF shot nearly 43 percent in the second half and was efficient with just five turnovers after tallying 13 in the opening half.

Terrence Samuel (Brooklyn, N.Y.) scored in double figures for the second straight game with 10 points, while Brown finished with eight points. Brown (Birmingham, Ala.) made a pair of shots from beyond the arc to jump into a tie for 10^th on USF's all-time freshman list with 24 three-pointers.

Brown opened the scoring with jumper before Wichita State (13-2, 3-0) took control in the first half by shooting 75 percent from the field and going 6-for-9 from long range.

After scoring 20 points before the break, USF racked up 22 points in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Collins and the USF bench scored 20 of its 22 total points after the break.

USF was once again forced to go without leading scorer Payton Banks, who missed his third game in the past four outings with an illness.

Quotable
Head coach Brian Gregory on USF turning in a strong performance after the break:
"I really like the way our guys competed in the second half. I thought we played much better. I thought we played much more composed. They were pressing with three and a half minutes left in the game, so it wasn't like they weren't playing hard until the last two minutes. I thought we played much better and made some shots."

Gregory on Malik Martin stepping up:
"I thought Malik Martin gave us a big lift, great energy out there. I challenged him. We need him to rebound a little better, but I like the way he played. I like his energy level."

Gregory on the freshmen continuing to give the Bulls a boost:
"I thought that Justin Brown and David Collins again gave us a big lift. Those guys are going to be really good players for us."

Key Stats
63 – Wichita State shot nearly 63 percent from the field, including 60 percent from long range (12-for-20).
32 – The Shockers scored 32 points off 18 USF turnovers.
40 – Wichita State outscored USF, 48-22, in points in the paint.

Notable

• Nikola Scekic made the first three-pointer of his career with 12:27 remaining in the second half and finished 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. Scekic headed to USF after winning a JUCO national championship with Hutchinson Community College in Kansas.
• Sunday marked USF's first-ever meeting with Wichita State, which has won five straight games.

 
Up Next
USF returns to the Sun Dome to host Cincinnati on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. (TV: ESPNews). Reserve your seats at USFBullsTix.com.

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.