Saturday, January 31
Philadelphia, Pa.
8 p.m.
University of South Florida
14-8,6-3American
78
at
79
Temple
14-8,6-3American
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Fla. | 38 | 40 | 78 |
| Temple | 39 | 40 | 79 |
USF Men's Basketball Falls 79โ78 at Temple
January 31, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Bulls erase deficits but fall in tightly contested road matchup.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.ย โย Jan. 31, 2026 โ The University of South Florida men's basketball team narrowly fell, 79โ78, to Temple on Saturday night at the Liacouras Center. The Bulls battled through a one-possession game that featured 11 lead changes and came down to the final seconds.
Izaiyah Nelson led South Florida with 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and 10 made free throws. Wes Enis finished with 17 points and three made 3-pointers, continuing his stretch as one of the nation's most active perimeter scorers. Joseph Pinion added 16 points, delivering his biggest impact in the second half off the bench.
CJ Brown recorded 11 points and six assists, extending his streak to 20 straight games with at least three assists and maintaining his lead atop the American Conference in assists.
Temple opened the game with early momentum, but South Florida settled in and answered with a 10โ3 run to cut into the deficit by the 10:35 mark of the first half. Wes Enis and Devin Haid attacked the paint to generate scoring during the stretch.
The Bulls adjusted defensively soon after, shifting into zone coverage around the 8:45 mark to disrupt Temple's rhythm. The change forced rushed possessions and stagnant offensive sets, limiting dribble penetration and ball movement. Adian Tobiason, who scored six quick points early, was held scoreless for several minutes following the adjustment. South Florida entered the break trailing by one, 39โ38.
South Florida opened the second half with a Pinion three-pointer eight seconds in, assisted by CJ Brown, to take the lead. The game shifted into a defensive stretch as both teams traded stops during a brief scoring drought. South Florida continued to apply pressure, forcing 12 turnovers against a Temple team that averages among the fewest turnovers per game nationally.
South Florida closed the gap late behind a key stretch from Joseph Pinion off the bench. Pinion knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to tie the game at 73โ73 with 3:09 remaining, then attacked downhill for a layup and free throw to give the Bulls a 76โ73 lead with 2:28 to play. Nelson's dunk with 22 seconds left put South Florida in front, 78โ77, before Temple answered in the closing moments.
Note-a-Bulls:
South Florida returns home on Wednesday, Feb. 4, to host UTSA at the Yuengling Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. for Student Appreciation Night and Arthur Jones Night. The matchup will air on ESPN+, with radio coverage available on Bulls Unlimited.
Tickets:
Men's basketball single-game and season tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls or by visitingย USFBullsTix.com.
Can't Make a Game? Don't Let Yourย Tickets Go Unused:
Seasonย Ticketย Members who are unable to attend a game have options to ensure theirย tickets are put to good use.ย Tickets can be easily transferred to friends or family, or donated to a fan in need.ย Click hereย for step-by-step instructions on how to transfer yourย tickets, orย Click hereย for instructions on how to donate them.
ย
Follow us:
Follow South Florida men's basketball onย Facebook,ย X, andย Instagram.
ย
About USF Men's Basketball
South Florida men's basketball namedย 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.
ย
The program, entering its 55thย 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 โ Chucky Atkins, Charlie Bradley, and Rodenko Dobras โ have had their jerseys retired and are members of the USF Athletic Hall of Fame.ย The Bulls play their home games at the 10,400-seat Yuengling Center on the USF Tampa campus.
โย #GoBullsย โ
Izaiyah Nelson led South Florida with 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and 10 made free throws. Wes Enis finished with 17 points and three made 3-pointers, continuing his stretch as one of the nation's most active perimeter scorers. Joseph Pinion added 16 points, delivering his biggest impact in the second half off the bench.
CJ Brown recorded 11 points and six assists, extending his streak to 20 straight games with at least three assists and maintaining his lead atop the American Conference in assists.
Temple opened the game with early momentum, but South Florida settled in and answered with a 10โ3 run to cut into the deficit by the 10:35 mark of the first half. Wes Enis and Devin Haid attacked the paint to generate scoring during the stretch.
The Bulls adjusted defensively soon after, shifting into zone coverage around the 8:45 mark to disrupt Temple's rhythm. The change forced rushed possessions and stagnant offensive sets, limiting dribble penetration and ball movement. Adian Tobiason, who scored six quick points early, was held scoreless for several minutes following the adjustment. South Florida entered the break trailing by one, 39โ38.
South Florida opened the second half with a Pinion three-pointer eight seconds in, assisted by CJ Brown, to take the lead. The game shifted into a defensive stretch as both teams traded stops during a brief scoring drought. South Florida continued to apply pressure, forcing 12 turnovers against a Temple team that averages among the fewest turnovers per game nationally.
That didn't take long for ?? Joe ?????
— USF Men's Basketball (@USFMBB) February 1, 2026
??: ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/ClOwlEAuNm
South Florida closed the gap late behind a key stretch from Joseph Pinion off the bench. Pinion knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to tie the game at 73โ73 with 3:09 remaining, then attacked downhill for a layup and free throw to give the Bulls a 76โ73 lead with 2:28 to play. Nelson's dunk with 22 seconds left put South Florida in front, 78โ77, before Temple answered in the closing moments.
?? Joe is BALLING ??
— USF Men's Basketball (@USFMBB) February 1, 2026
??: ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/ZdkuXHuzvA
Note-a-Bulls:
- Free-Throw Efficiency โ South Florida shot a season-best 87 percent from the free-throw line (27-of-31).
- Double Digits โย Four Bulls reached double digits: Wes Enis, Joseph Pinion, Izaiyah Nelson, and CJ Brown.
OH GREAT HEAVENS ZAI ??
— USF Men's Basketball (@USFMBB) February 1, 2026
??: ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/hZRhyCfXu5
- Disruptive Defense โ The Bulls forced 12 turnovers against a Temple team that averages among the fewest turnovers per game nationally.
- Assist Impact โ CJ Brown extended his streak to 20 straight games with at least three assists and leads the American Conference in assists.
South Florida returns home on Wednesday, Feb. 4, to host UTSA at the Yuengling Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. for Student Appreciation Night and Arthur Jones Night. The matchup will air on ESPN+, with radio coverage available on Bulls Unlimited.
Tickets:
Men's basketball single-game and season tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls or by visitingย USFBullsTix.com.
Can't Make a Game? Don't Let Yourย Tickets Go Unused:
Seasonย Ticketย Members who are unable to attend a game have options to ensure theirย tickets are put to good use.ย Tickets can be easily transferred to friends or family, or donated to a fan in need.ย Click hereย for step-by-step instructions on how to transfer yourย tickets, orย Click hereย for instructions on how to donate them.
ย
Follow us:
Follow South Florida men's basketball onย Facebook,ย X, andย Instagram.
ย
About USF Men's Basketball
South Florida men's basketball namedย 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.
ย
The program, entering its 55thย 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 โ Chucky Atkins, Charlie Bradley, and Rodenko Dobras โ have had their jerseys retired and are members of the USF Athletic Hall of Fame.ย The Bulls play their home games at the 10,400-seat Yuengling Center on the USF Tampa campus.
โย #GoBullsย โ
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballTeam Stats
USF
Temple
FG%
.458
.444
3FG%
.304
.310
FT%
.871
.824
RB
32
32
TO
18
12
STL
7
5
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
10
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Pts
11
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Monday, April 20
Tuesday, April 07
Tuesday, March 31
Tuesday, March 31
