TAMPA, Fla. (November 7, 2024) – The University of South Florida men's basketball team takes to the road for its first true road test with a contest against the College of Charleston on Friday. The Bulls (0-1) and the Cougars (1-0) are scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.
 
Previewing the Bulls
The Bulls were voted to finish third in the AAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. South Florida returns seven letterwinners from last season's squad that posted the best record in program history with a 25-8 mark and won its first-ever regular season conference title. The USF returners include Jayden Reid, Kobe Knox, Brandon Stroud, Kasen Jennings, Corey Walker Jr., Nic Smith, and Daniel Tobiloba. South Florida added De'Ante Green, Jamille Reynolds, Jimmie Williams, Kameren Wright, CJ Brown, Quincy Ademokoya, MaTaj Glover, Jaylen Wharton, and Kyle O'Hare to the 2024-25 roster.
 
Chef Boyar"Reid"
After a stellar freshman campaign, Jayden Reid earned a spot on the AAC Preseason Second Team. Reid finished the 2023-24 season on nine different record lists for South Florida Freshmen. He was selected to the 2023-24 AAC All-Freshman Team and was named the Freshman of the Week twice. He finished his first campaign with the Bulls with a 3-point percentage of 47.5 percent, which was the best mark as a freshman at USF. He was inside the top 10 freshman marks in 3-point field goals made, free throws made, free throw percentage, assists, assists per game, steals, steals per game, and games played. He made a splash in his collegiate debut with a double-double, with 11 points and a career-high ten assists, and added a career-high five steals against South Carolina State on Nov. 9.  He recorded a career-high 16 points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 12. He made a career-high seven free throws against No. 24 Florida Atlantic on Feb. 18. He brought down a career-high six rebounds against Loyola Chicago on Dec. 16. He knocked down a career-high three 3-pointers against Tulane on March 5. He tallied nine games with double-digit points. His 101 assists as a freshman are the sixth most in USF history, and his 3.1 assists per game are eighth by a freshman. His assist-turnover-ratio of 2.06 was tied for 125th in the NCAA, sixth in the AAC, and 10th among NCAA freshmen. His 40 steals are seventh-most by a USF freshman, while his 1.2 steals a game are ninth. He ranks sixth as a freshman with a free-throw percentage of 77.1 percent.
 
Reid was one of three D-I players last season to record at least 100 assists, 40 steals and a 45.0 three-point percentage, along with Indiana State's Julian Larry and Kentucky's Reed Sheppard. Reid is the only USF player to reach those marks in a season since the NCAA universally adopted the three-point line for the 1986-87 season.
 
Kicking It with Kobe
USF went 9-0 last season when Kobe Knox scored more than 10 points, tied for the best such record by any AAC player (FAU's Bryan Greenlee). It is also the best such record in a season by any Bulls player over the past 25 years. The Bulls are 9-1 all-time when Knox scores in double digits.
 
Four in Double-Figures
South Florida opened the season with four players in double digits. It is the second-consecutive season the Bulls have four or players in double figures. Jamille Reynolds led the way with a team-high 17 points. Kasen Jennings recorded 15 points. He led the team with three made 3-pointers, one shy of tying a career-high. Kobe Knox produced a 14-point performance, while Jimmie Williams added 10.
 
Stout Long-Range Defense
South Florida opened the season against one of the best 3-point shooting teams from a year ago. The Bulls held the Gators to 19.2 percent from the long distance. USF is tied for 41st in the NCAA and second in the AAC in 3-point defense.
 
Making it Count at the Line
The Bulls are currently tied for 38th in the country with a free-throw percentage of 82.4, and second in the AAC.
 
Getting Out in Transition
South Florida is tied for 39th in the nation and second in the conference with 24.0 fastbreak points per game.
 
History with the College of Charleston
South Florida and the College of Charleston will meet for the first time on Friday.
 
Scouting the Cougars
As a unit, the Cougars are tied for 42nd in the NCAA and are third in the CAA with a field-goal percentage of 56.4. The College of Charleston is tied for 57th in the country and third in its conference with a 3-point percentage of 45.0. CJ Fulton is tied for 16th in the nation and is second in the CAA with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 7.00. He leads the Cougars with seven assists. Ante Brzovic paces the team with 27 points, which is tied for 57th in the NCAA and tied for first in the conference. Fulton and Deywilk Tavarez are both tied for second on the team with 17 points. Jaxon Prunty is the final Cougar in double-figures with 10 points. Brzovic has a team-high nine rebounds.
 
Tale of the Tape 

USF	Category	CofC
83.0	POINTS PER GAME	90.0
98.0	OPP. POINTS PER GAME	80.0
.444	FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE	.564
.524	OPP. FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE	.403
.481	3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE	.450
.192	OPP. 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE	.238
.824	FREE THROW PERCENTAGE	.633
32.0	REBOUNDS PER GAME	38.0
-5.0	REBOUNDING MARGIN	11.0
16.0	ASSISTS PER GAME	17.0
16.0	TURNOVERS PER GAME	17.0
-6.0	TURNOVER MARGIN	-8.0
8.0	STEALS PER GAME	3.0
0.0	BLOCKS PER GAME	4.0

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About USF Men's Basketball
The University of South Florida men's basketball, led by interim head coach Ben Fletcher, is a member of the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls enter their 2024-25 campaign, presented by Tampa General Hospital, on the heels of their best season in program history, in which they claimed their first-ever regular season conference title, won a record 25 games, and earned a Top 25 ranking for the first time in program history. A presence on the college basketball scene for more than five decades, South Florida has earned two conference titles and three NCAA tournament bids (1990, 1992, and 2012), appeared in the NIT eight times, and won the 2019 College Basketball Invitational. 
 
South Florida is wearing patches with the initials AAR this season in memory of their head coach, Amir Abdur-Rahim, who passed away in October 2024.
 
The Bulls play their home games at the 10,400-seat Yuengling Center, located on South Florida's Tampa campus. 
 
Men's basketball single-game and season tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls or by visiting USFBullsTix.com.
 
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