TAMPA, Fla., November 9, 2025 – South Florida men's basketball and Kennesaw State men's basketball will come together to honor the late Amir Abdur-Rahim this Sunday, Nov. 16, in the inaugural "Love Wins Classic" at VyStar Arena in Kennesaw, Georgia.
Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. on ESPN+, as both programs honor the life and legacy of former head coach Abdur-Rahim, who passed away before the 2024–25 season.
The meeting between USF and Kennesaw State was created to celebrate Abdur-Rahim's impact on both programs, their student-athletes, and the broader basketball community.
The "Love Wins Classic" will continue next season between the two programs, with South Florida hosting the game in Tampa next season.
Abdur-Rahim's influence extended far beyond the court. At Kennesaw State, he engineered one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent college basketball history — guiding the Owls from a one-win season to a 26-8 record, Atlantic Sun regular season and tournament championships, and the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023.
Following that breakthrough season, Abdur-Rahim accepted the head coaching role at South Florida, where he immediately led the Bulls to their first-ever American Athletic Conference regular season championship and a Postseason NIT berth. His leadership, authenticity, and "Love Wins" mantra continue to define the program's culture under head coach
Bryan Hodgson.
As part of Sunday's event, Kennesaw State will hold a halftime recognition celebrating Abdur-Rahim's life, legacy, and the powerful message he shared through the game he loved.
South Florida will debut special 'Love Wins Classic' jerseys. Stay on the lookout for a preview of these uniforms on
South Florida men's basketball social media, via
Facebook,
X, and
Instagram.
Up Next:
Before traveling to Kennesaw State for the "Love Wins Classic," the Bulls return home to the Yuengling Center on Wednesday, Nov. 12, to host Coppin State in a non-conference matchup. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
Tickets:
Men's basketball single-game and season tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls or by visiting USFBullsTix.com.
Follow us:
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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