Bulls Host Fairleigh Dickinson to Close 2018

Bulls Host Fairleigh Dickinson to Close 2018

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Matchup: USF (9-2) vs. Fairleigh Dickinson (5-6)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 29
Time: 1 p.m. EST
Location: Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
TV: ESPN3 (Drew Fellios, Mike O'Donnell)
Radio: AM 820 | USF Bulls Unlimited (Jim Lighthall, Joey Johnston)
Follow: Listen | Watch | Live Stats | Twitter

TAMPA, DEC. 28, 2018 – On the heels of the program's first five-game winning streak since 2007, the USF men's basketball team closes out its non-conference schedule Saturday at 1 p.m. when the Bulls host Fairleigh Dickinson at the Yuengling Center on ESPN3.

USF (9-2) enters the weekend coming off a lopsided 83-44 victory over Alcorn State on Dec. 21 behind 16 points and 11 rebounds from redshirt freshman Alexis Yetna (Paris). For his efforts, Yetna was selected as the American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive week. He ranks 13th in the NCAA and first in The American with 10.5 rebounds per game while standing 30th in the nation and first in the league with five double-doubles. Yetna also adds 11.4 points per game and ranks third on the team in scoring.  

Sophomore Justin Brown (Birmingham, Ala.) added 16 points and tied a career-high with four 3-pointers made in the victory over Alcorn State. Brown paces USF with 19 treys made and is shooting 66.7 percent from beyond the arc over his last three games. Overall, Brown averages 9.1 points per game and is shooting 41.3 percent from three-point range.

Sophomore David Collins (Youngstown, Ohio) paces the USF offense with 14.3 points per game and ranks 15th in the league in scoring. Collins also averages 2.6 steals per game to rank 13th in the NCAA and second in the conference.

Redshirt junior Laquincy Rideau (West Palm Beach, Fla.) ranks second on the team with 13.4 points per game and is in the midst of a stretch that has seen him average 18.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game while shooting 60.6 percent from the field and 54.5 percent from three-point range over the last three games. Additionally, Rideau leads The American in both steals (2.9 spg) and assists (6.0 apg) while ranking fifth nationally in steals and 26th nationally in assists.  

THE OPPONENT
Fairleigh Dickinson (5-6) has lost two of its last three games after suffering an 85-84 setback Dec. 21 at UMass. The Knights led by as many as 14 points over the Minutemen before ultimately falling to 1-4 on the road this season.   

Senior guard Darnell Edge leads Fairleigh Dickinson and ranks fourth in the Northeast Conference in scoring with 17.0 points per game. Fellow guard Jahlil Jenkins adds 13.5 points per game junior forward Kaleb Bishop paces the Knights with 8.0 rebounds per game off the bench.

Notable
  • USF is 1-0 all-time against Fairleigh Dickinson and 16-2 against schools currently in the Northeast Conference.   
  • USF is in search of its first six-game winning streak since the 2007-08 season.
  • The 2018-19 USF team seeks to become only the sixth team in school history to win 10 of its first 12 games.
  • Alexis Yetna was selected as The American Freshman of the Week on Monday for the second consecutive week.
  • Laquincy Rideau leads The American in both assists (6.0 apg) and steals (2.9 spg).
  • USF is just one win shy of its total output from a season ago.
  • USF is winning by 13.8 points and shooting 46.4 percent from the field during its five-game winning streak.
  • USF is 13-4 at home against non-conference competition under head coach Brian Gregory.
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF men's' basketball news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).

About USF Men's Basketball
The USF men's basketball team is led by head coach Brian Gregory. On March 22, 2017, Gregory was introduced as the 10th 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. In his first season at the helm of the Bulls, Gregory led the team to its first 10-plus win season since 2013-14. 

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.
 
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