Tampa, Fla., Nov. 3, 2025 – The University of South Florida men's basketball team opened the 2025-26 season with a dominating 102-67 win over Florida A&M at the Yuengling Center. Hodgson's Bulls finished the game tied for the second-highest margin of victory (35 points) in a head coach's debut in American Conference history.
Wes Enis led the team with 22 points,
Josh Omojafo added 17, and
Izaiyah Nelson contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds for his 19th career double-double. The bench added 37 points, highlighting the depth and versatility Hodgson has built into the roster.
After a slow start from three, the Bulls caught fire late in the first half when
Wes Enis sank four three-pointers from 5:52 to 0:05, helping South Florida take a 47-33 lead into halftime.
Building off his strong exhibition showing, Enis made an immediate impact in his first regular-season Division I game, fitting seamlessly into head coach
Bryan Hodgson's fast-paced, pro-style offense. The Bulls' bench added 14 points in the first half, highlighting the depth that will be key this season.
South Florida came out strong in the second half, maintaining an aggressive tempo and steadily extending their lead. The Bulls moved the ball quickly up court, drew fouls effectively, and shot efficiently from the field. The team recorded 23 fast-break points, taking advantage of defensive stops and turnovers.
Note-a-Bulls:
- D1 Debut - Wes Enis made an immediate impact in his first regular-season Division I game, scoring the third-most points in a USF debut since 1996.
- Fast-Break Points - The Bulls recorded 23 fast-break points, taking advantage of defensive stops and turnovers.
- Bench Contribution - USF's reserves added 37 points, showcasing team depth.
- Strong Start - Coach Hodgson's Bulls tied the second-highest margin of victory (35 points) in a head coach's debut in American Conference history.
- Coaching Debut Win - Hodgson became the eighth coach in program history to win his USF debut.
- First Career Points - Caleb Sanders, Tristan Beckford, and Gavin Hightower all scored their first career points.
- Free-Throw Efficiency - The Bulls shot efficiently from the line, finishing 34-of-40.
Up Next:
The Bulls continue their 2025-26 season on Saturday, Nov. 8, against George Washington University at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m., with radio coverage on Bulls Unlimited and TV coverage on Peacock.
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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