Nassau, Bahamas, Nov. 27, 2025 – The University of South Florida men's basketball team defeated Western Kentucky 97–91 in overtime on Thursday evening in the Battle4Atlantis. The Bulls erased a 17-point first-half deficit - tied for the fifth-largest comeback in program history.
The Bulls delivered a balanced offensive performance, scoring 38 points in the paint and 13 made three-pointers off of a season-high 24 assists. They also collected a season-high 50 rebounds.
CJ Brown led the Bulls with 18 points, six rebounds, and nine assists in a season-high 38 minutes.
Joseph Pinion followed with 16 points and four three-pointers.
Izaiyah Nelson recorded his fourth double-double of the season, tallying 10 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks to anchor the interior.
Freshman
Adriel Nyorha added a career-high 11 points and two rebounds in 11 minutes. The first 10 of Nyorha's 11 points came in the first half, which is the most points scored by a South Florida freshman in a half this season.
South Florida totaled 31 bench points to round out a balanced offensive effort, as players like Nyorha and
Devin Haid (five points) saw an increase in minutes.
South Florida fell behind early following a brief 3-2 lead 54 seconds in. The Hilltoppers jumped out to a 13-4 lead over the first five minutes. On Offense, the Bulls were able to find some success in the paint with
Daimion Collins tallying multiple first-half dunks. Freshman
Adriel Nyorha's spark off the bench helped the Bulls keep it a 10-point game, entering halftime trailing 50–40.
With just under 17 minutes left in the game, a
CJ Brown steal and
Joseph Pinion assist led to a deep
Wes Enis three, which cut the lead to five (53-48), the closest it had been since the game was 9-4 at the 16:23 mark in the first half.
A
CJ Brown three at the 11:23 cut the Hilltoppers' lead down to two (61-63). Around the nine-minute mark, a
CJ Brown layup knotted the game at 65, and another layup on the next possession gave the Bulls their first lead since their first basket of the game (3-2).
The Bulls were down seven again with 1:14 on the clock, but after a Pinion layup, the Hilltoppers failed to inbound the ball. An
Izaiyah Nelson layup off the inbound cut it to three, and a Pinion three tied the game at 84, ultimately sending the game to overtime.
South Florida opened the overtime period, continuing the battle as the teams exchanged leads six times, until 1:16 remaining, when Pinion buried a three-pointer to give the Bulls the lead 93-91. Moments later,
Wes Enis came up with a key steal to give South Florida a crucial stop. South Florida closed the game at the free-throw line.
The Bulls' defense held Western Kentucky to just two made field goals in the extra period, outscoring the Hilltoppers 13–7 to secure the win.
Note-a-Bulls:
- Historic Comeback – USF erased a 17-point first-half deficit, tying the fifth-largest comeback win in program history.
- Double-Digit Depth – Five Bulls reached double digits: CJ Brown, Joseph Pinion, Josh Omojafo, Adriel Nyorha, and Izaiyah Nelson.
- Career-High Nyorha – Adriel Nyorha scored a career-high 11 points, 10 coming in the first half. That marks the most by any freshman in a half this season.
- Bench Production – USF's depth added 31 bench points, contributing to the offensive turnaround.
- Interior Efficiency – The Bulls scored 38 points in the paint, paired with steady rim protection and interior finishing.
Up Next:
The Bulls continue in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in Nassau, Bahamas, and will face the winner of Colorado State on Friday, Nov. 28, at 4:30 p.m. Fans can watch the game on ESPNU and listen live on Bulls Unlimited.
Tickets:
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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Follow South Florida men's basketball on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
About USF Men's Basketball
South Florida men's basketball named Bryan Hodgson, 37, as the program's 12th head coach on March 24, 2025. Hodgson came to Tampa from Arkansas State, where he led the program to back-to-back 20-win seasons and its first postseason appearance since 1999 in his two seasons at the helm.
The program, entering its 55th season in 2025-26, most recently won the American Athletic Conference regular season championship in 2023-24 and has made 13 postseason appearances, including three NCAA Tournaments, nine NITs, and a CBI championship in 2019. Three former Bulls – Chucky Atkins, Charlie Bradley, and Rodenko Dobras – have had their jerseys retired and are members of the USF Athletic Hall of Fame. The Bulls play their home games at the 10,400-seat Yuengling Center on the USF Tampa campus.
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