Sunday, March 4
Tampa
2:00 PM
University of South Florida
vs
SMU
Bulls Look to Finish Regular Season with Two Straight Wins
March 03, 2018 | Men's Basketball
Matchup: USF (9-21, 2-15 AAC) vs. SMU (16-14, 6-11 AAC)
Date: Sunday, March 4, 2018
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Tampa, Fla. | Sun Dome (10,411)
TV: ESPNews (Mike Corey, Mark Adams)
Radio: AM 820 | GoUSFBulls.com (Jim Lighthall, Joey Johnston)
Follow: Stats | Twitter
GAME NOTES
TAMPA, MAR. 3, 2018 – The Bulls will look to finish the regular season on a two-game winning streak when they host the SMU Mustangs on Sunday afternoon. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will be televised on ESPNews.
USF (9-21, 2-15 AAC) is coming off a 75-51 rout of Memphis on Thursday night in Tennessee. The Bulls led by 22 points at the half and extended the lead to as many as 27 in the second half before securing the 24-point victory. The margin of victory was the largest for USF since March 4, 2015, when the Bulls defeated UCF by 29 at the Sun Dome.
Payton Banks (Orange, Calif.) surpassed the 1,000-point plateau with his 16th point in the game, which came in the second half. Banks finished the game with 19 points, seven rebounds and four steals.
Malik Martin (Miami, Fla.) tied with Banks for the team lead in scoring, also finishing with 19 points. Martin had nine rebounds, three of which came on the offensive end. Martin was 8-for-10 from the field, including 2-for-3 from three-point land. The 19-point performance was his highest scoring output since scoring a career-high 24 points against Arkansas State on Nov. 24.
Isaiah Manderson (Bronx, N.Y) contributed to the cause with his second career double-double, finishing with 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, including four on the offensive end. Manderson was 2-for-2 from the free throw line, giving him six straight makes from the charity stripe. The 57 percent career free throw shooter is shooting 66.7 percent (30-for-45) from the line this season.
Stephan Jiggetts (Forestville, Md.) was the fourth Bull in double figures, finishing with 12 points in the game. Jiggetts dished out five assists and did not turn the ball over in 38 minutes. He now has three games this season where he has gone without a turnover.
As a team, the Bulls finished plus-11 on the glass, holding a 38-27 advantage over the Tigers. The win improved the Bulls to 8-4 when outrebounding their opponents. The Bulls also shot 50 percent or better for the fourth time this season, all of which have been victories. USF was 26-for-52 from the field in the game.
THE OPPONENT
USF faces SMU (16-14, 6-11 AAC) for the second time this season. The Mustangs currently hold the ninth spot in the AAC after a loss to Houston on Wednesday night.
The Bulls and the Mustangs last met in their second conference game of the season on Dec. 31, 2017. SMU took that game in Dallas, 79-39.
Since facing the Bulls, SMU is 4-11, including a current two-game losing streak. The Mustangs feature former USF Bull Jahmal McMurray, who is the team's second-leading scorer in conference play. McMurray is averaging 14.8 points in AAC play, shooting 42 percent from the field and 43 percent from three.
SMU is led by head coach Tim Jankovic, who is in his second year at the helm in Dallas. Jankovic has led the Mustangs to a 55-19 record since taking over for Larry Brown.
NOTABLES
The USF men's basketball team is led by head coach Brian Gregory. On March 22, 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.
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.
Date: Sunday, March 4, 2018
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Tampa, Fla. | Sun Dome (10,411)
TV: ESPNews (Mike Corey, Mark Adams)
Radio: AM 820 | GoUSFBulls.com (Jim Lighthall, Joey Johnston)
Follow: Stats | Twitter
GAME NOTES
TAMPA, MAR. 3, 2018 – The Bulls will look to finish the regular season on a two-game winning streak when they host the SMU Mustangs on Sunday afternoon. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will be televised on ESPNews.
USF (9-21, 2-15 AAC) is coming off a 75-51 rout of Memphis on Thursday night in Tennessee. The Bulls led by 22 points at the half and extended the lead to as many as 27 in the second half before securing the 24-point victory. The margin of victory was the largest for USF since March 4, 2015, when the Bulls defeated UCF by 29 at the Sun Dome.
Payton Banks (Orange, Calif.) surpassed the 1,000-point plateau with his 16th point in the game, which came in the second half. Banks finished the game with 19 points, seven rebounds and four steals.
Malik Martin (Miami, Fla.) tied with Banks for the team lead in scoring, also finishing with 19 points. Martin had nine rebounds, three of which came on the offensive end. Martin was 8-for-10 from the field, including 2-for-3 from three-point land. The 19-point performance was his highest scoring output since scoring a career-high 24 points against Arkansas State on Nov. 24.
Isaiah Manderson (Bronx, N.Y) contributed to the cause with his second career double-double, finishing with 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, including four on the offensive end. Manderson was 2-for-2 from the free throw line, giving him six straight makes from the charity stripe. The 57 percent career free throw shooter is shooting 66.7 percent (30-for-45) from the line this season.
Stephan Jiggetts (Forestville, Md.) was the fourth Bull in double figures, finishing with 12 points in the game. Jiggetts dished out five assists and did not turn the ball over in 38 minutes. He now has three games this season where he has gone without a turnover.
As a team, the Bulls finished plus-11 on the glass, holding a 38-27 advantage over the Tigers. The win improved the Bulls to 8-4 when outrebounding their opponents. The Bulls also shot 50 percent or better for the fourth time this season, all of which have been victories. USF was 26-for-52 from the field in the game.
THE OPPONENT
USF faces SMU (16-14, 6-11 AAC) for the second time this season. The Mustangs currently hold the ninth spot in the AAC after a loss to Houston on Wednesday night.
The Bulls and the Mustangs last met in their second conference game of the season on Dec. 31, 2017. SMU took that game in Dallas, 79-39.
Since facing the Bulls, SMU is 4-11, including a current two-game losing streak. The Mustangs feature former USF Bull Jahmal McMurray, who is the team's second-leading scorer in conference play. McMurray is averaging 14.8 points in AAC play, shooting 42 percent from the field and 43 percent from three.
SMU is led by head coach Tim Jankovic, who is in his second year at the helm in Dallas. Jankovic has led the Mustangs to a 55-19 record since taking over for Larry Brown.
NOTABLES
- Payton Banks sits 11th in the conference in steals after a four-steal effort in Memphis. Banks is averaging 1.2 takeaways per contest.
- The Bulls are 8-2 this season when scoring more than 70 points.
- A win would give the Bulls double-digit victories for the first time since the team won 12 games in the 2013-14 season.
- As it stands now, USF would have a rematch with Memphis in the first round of the American Athletic Conference tournament on Thursday in Orlando.
- Sunday is Senior Day for the Bulls. The team will honor graduates Payton Banks, Stephan Jiggetts and Terrence Samuel, senior Isaiah Manderson, and team manager Joe Ungos in a ceremony prior to the 2 p.m. tip-off.
The USF men's basketball team is led by head coach Brian Gregory. On March 22, 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.
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.
– #GoBulls –
Players Mentioned
Wing
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F
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