TAMPA, Fla. – Jan. 18, 2026 – The University of South Florida men's basketball team battled back from a 15-point first-half deficit to take the lead in the second half and force overtime. The Bulls ultimately fell 86–85 to Wichita State on Sunday afternoon at the Yuengling Center in front of a season-high crowd of 4,544.
Wichita State's largest lead came at 15 points when the Shockers went up 30–15 with 9:13 remaining in the first half. South Florida answered with an 8–0 run to cut into the deficit, including highlight dunks from
CJ Brown, and
Joseph Pinion.
The Bulls continued to build momentum late in the half, closing the opening half on a 10–0 run over the final 3:10.
Wes Enis started the surge with a three-pointer, followed by scores from
Izaiyah Nelson and
Joseph Pinion.
CJ Brown finished the run with a floater in the final minute, as Wichita State narrowly led 37–36 at halftime.
South Florida carried its momentum into the second half, opening the period with a 15–1 run to take a 51–38 lead. The 15-1 run extended a larger stretch in which the Bulls outscored Wichita State 33–8, turning a 15-point first-half deficit into a multi-possession advantage and establishing their largest lead of the game.
Wichita State answered to keep the game within reach and reclaimed the lead with 1:37 remaining in regulation. South Florida stayed poised down the stretch, and
Josh Omojafo knocked down two free throws with 0:28 left to tie the game at 77–77 and force overtime.
Overtime featured back-and-forth scoring before Wichita State pulled ahead late, ending the overtime period with a one-point overtime decision.
Enis continued his standout month from beyond the arc, coming into tonight's contest with multiple games with at least 10 made three-pointers. South Florida's perimeter production followed suit, as the Bulls reached double-digit made threes for the 11th time this season and connected on 12 or more threes for the seventh time.
Note-a-Bulls:
- Sustained Run – After trailing 30–15, the Bulls responded with an 8–0 run and later outscored Wichita State 33–8 across the late first half and early second half.
- Balanced Scoring – Four Bulls finished in double figures: Izaiyah Nelson, Josh Omojafo, CJ Brown, and Joseph Pinion.
- Perimeter Production – South Florida reached double-digit made three-pointers for the 11th time this season and connected on 12 or more threes for the seventh time.
- Home Crowd – The game drew 4,544 fans, the highest attendance for a USF men's basketball game this season.
- Battle Back Effort – South Florida erased a 15-point first-half deficit, led for extended stretches, and forced overtime in an 86–85 decision at the Yuengling Center.
Up Next:
South Florida continues conference play on the road, traveling to UAB on Thursday, Jan. 22, for a 7 p.m. ET matchup in Birmingham, Alabama. The game will air on ESPN2, with radio coverage available on Bulls Unlimited.
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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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