Bulls Host Temple Saturday in Autism Awareness Game
Matchup: USF (17-7, 7-5) vs. Temple (18-7, 8-4)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 16
Time: 6 p.m. EST
Location: Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
TV: ESPNU (Kevin Brown, Sean Harrington)
Radio: AM 820 | USF Bulls Unlimited (
Jim Lighthall, Joey Johnston)
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TAMPA, FEB. 15, 2019 – The USF men's basketball team aims for its fourth straight home victory Saturday at 6 p.m. when the Bulls welcome Temple to the Yuengling Center for the program's Autism Awareness Game.
The Coaches Powering Forward for Autism initiative was created in 2014 by USF assistant coach
Tom Herrion and Towson head coach Pat Skerry. The duo founded the project to help raise awareness about autism, which affects an estimated 1 in 59 children in the United States today.
Inspired by their sons, both diagnosed with autism, Herrion and Skerry made a simple request to fellow coaches – wear the Autism Speaks blue puzzle piece pin during the televised February weekend games. In an overwhelming response, more than 82 NCAA coaches and broadcasters took to the sidelines and airwaves throughout that weekend in 2014, wearing the puzzle pin. By 2018, the support soared to 375 NCAA coaches wearing the pins and more than 420 schools showing their support of people with autism.
The 2019 goal is to continue to grow this initiative to include all Division I programs, along with other divisions and provide basketball coaches, their teams and schools with an even greater opportunity to increase global understanding and acceptance of people with autism.
USF (17-7, 7-5) has won five of its last six games and is led by the 15.4 points per game of sophomore guard
David Collins (Youngstown, Ohio). Collins has scored at least 20 points in four consecutive games and has shot 56.8 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from three-point range during that stretch.
Redshirt junior
Laquincy Rideau (West Palm Beach, Fla.) ranks second on the team with 13.7 points per game and enters play Saturday only 12 points shy of 1,000 for his career. Rideau also ranks third in the NCAA with 3.1 steals per game and paces The American with 5.8 assists per game. In the first meeting with Temple earlier this season, Rideau registered a triple-double with 18 points, 10 assists and 10 steals.
Redshirt freshman
Alexis Yetna (Paris) returned from injury Wednesday at UCF and pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds. Yetna leads The American and ranks 21st in the country with 9.9 rebounds per game while also leading the conference with 10 double-doubles.
THE OPPONENT
Temple (18-7, 8-4) sits in fourth place in the conference standings and owns a one-game lead over USF. The Owls have won three of their last four games following an 82-74 victory over SMU on Wednesday. Temple, however, has lost two of its last three road games, which included a 76-58 setback Feb. 9 at Tulsa.
Senior guard Shizz Alston Jr. leads Temple with 18.5 points per game and had made a team-best 76 three-pointers. Junior guard Quinton Rose adds 16.6 points per game while sophomore Nate Pierre-Louis pours in 13.9 points per game.
QUOTABLE
Head coach Brian Gregory on the matchup with Temple:
"It was a great first game when we faced Temple earlier this year, unfortunately we weren't able to pull it out. They are very, very good and with the backcourt they have, it's as good as anybody's in the league. They are dangerous offensively and very good defensively as well. They know exactly how to play and they've had a great year because of those guards, but now you have some of their big guys playing well for them, too. It'll be a great test and a great opportunity for us against one of the most-storied college basketball programs in history."
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NOTABLE
• USF is 2-10 against Temple in the all-time series that dates back to the 2011-12 season.
• USF has not won 14 home games at the Yuengling Center since winning 15 during the 1982-83 season.
• USF is the only school in the NCAA to have its conference leader in rebounds, assists and steals.
• USF sophomore
Justin Brown is shooting 59.3 percent (16-for-27) from 3-point range over the last five games.
• USF redshirt junior
Laquincy Rideau is only 12 points shy of 1,000 for his collegiate career.
• USF sophomore
David Collins is averaging 21.0 points and shooting 56.8 percent over the last four games.
• USF redshirt freshman
Alexis Yetna has more double-doubles (10) than seven teams in The American.
•
Laquincy Rideau ranks third in the NCAA and first in The American with 3.1 steals per game.Â
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Alexis Yetna leads The American and ranks 21st in the NCAA with 9.9 rebounds per game.
• USF has taken the most free throw attempts in the NCAA with 679 and has made the 10th-most in the NCAA (432).
• USF is 28-3 all-time under
Brian Gregory when leading by 10 points at any time during a game.
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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.
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF men's' basketball news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
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