USF and Wichita State Tangle Tuesday in Tampa
Matchup: USF (12-6, 2-4) vs. Wichita State (8-9, 1-4)
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 22
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
TV: CBS Sports Network (Dave Ryan, Steve Wolf)
Radio: AM 820 | USF Bulls Unlimited (
Jim Lighthall, Joey Johnston)
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TAMPA, JAN. 21, 2019 – The USF men's basketball team looks to return to its winning ways Tuesday at 8 p.m. when the Bulls host Wichita State at the Yuengling Center for a matchup broadcast live on CBS Sports Network. Â
USF (12-6, 2-4) suffered just its second home loss of the season when it dropped a 69-60 decision to No. 17 Houston on Saturday.
David Collins (Youngstown, Ohio) scored a season-high 23 points and has recorded five 20-point games this season and leads USF with 14.8 points per game. Collins has also been strong defensively and ranks 13th in the NCAA and second in the league with 2.6 steals per game.
Redshirt freshman
Alexis Yetna (Paris) finished with 12 points and seven rebounds Saturday against Houston and ranks 11th in the NCAA and first in the league with 10.2 rebounds per game. Yetna adds 12.7 points per game and is the only player in The American to average a double-double. In fact, Yetna is the owner of nine double-doubles this season and ranks 19th in the nation. Â Â
Junior guard
Laquincy Rideau (West Palm Beach, Fla.) has proven to be one of the top guards in the league this season and continues to lead The American in assists (5.6 apg) and steals (3.2 spg), ranking second in the NCAA in steals and 35th in assists. Rideau also averages 14.3 points per game and is second on the team in scoring.
As a team, USF shot 41 free throws Saturday against Houston and has attempted the most free throws of any team in the NCAA with 527. The Bulls have taken 112 more free throws than their opponents and need to average 20.7 free throw attempts per game for the rest of the season to break the single-season record of 796 set during the 2009-10 season.
THE OPPONENT
Wichita State (8-9, 1-4) has lost five of its last six games after falling 66-55 at home to Cincinnati on Saturday. The Shockers have yet to win on the road this season and enter play Tuesday with an 0-4 record away from home. In fact, Wichita State has dropped all four of its road games by at least nine points and is losing on the road by an average of 17.0 points per game.
Senior forward Markis McDuffie leads Wichita State and ranks second in The American in scoring with 19.6 points per game. McDuffie also shoots 40.6 percent from three-point range and has made a team-best 43 triples this season. Senior guard Samajae Haynes-Jones adds 13.0 points per game and junior post Jaime Echenique paces the team with 5.4 rebounds.
NOTABLE
• USF is 0-1 against Wichita State in the all-time series that began last season in Wichita.Â
• USF is looking for its 13th win of the season, which would be the most since the 2011-12 season.
• USF's six losses are by an average of 4.7 points per game. Four of the six losses have been by three points or less.
• USF is the only school in the NCAA to have its conference leader in rebounds, assists and steals.
• USF redshirt junior
Laquincy Rideau is only 84 points shy of 1,000 for his collegiate career.
• USF redshirt freshman
Alexis Yetna has more double-doubles (9) than 10 teams in The American.
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Alexis Yetna is first in the American Athletic Conference and 19th in the NCAA with nine double-doubles.
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Laquincy Rideau ranks second in the NCAA and first in The American with 3.2 steals per game.Â
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Alexis Yetna leads The American and ranks 14th in the NCAA with 10.2 rebounds per game.
• USF has taken the most free throw attempts in the NCAA with 527.
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Laquincy Rideau is 11 steals shy of setting a new USF single-season school record.
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.Â
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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