TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 19, 2026 – The University of South Florida men's basketball team defeated Memphis, 87–66, on Thursday night at the Yuengling Center. Using a late first-half takeover, the Bulls dictated pace and steadily built separation while controlling the game throughout in a decisive result during head coach
Bryan Hodgson's 100th career game as head coach.
With the win, the Bulls clinched a spot in the American Conference Basketball Championship Tournament. The Bulls (11-3) hold a two game lead over Tulsa (9-5) and Wichita State (9-5). The Bulls have not lost by more than three points in conference play. Their three losses came vs. UAB by three in 2OT, vs. Witchita State by one in OT, and at Temple by one.
Izaiyah Nelson recorded his 17th double-double of the season with 17 points and 14 rebounds, tying him for the second-most double-doubles in the NCAA. He surpassed 200 career blocks, finishing the night with four of South Florida's seven blocks.
Wes Enis finished with 20 points, knocking down three three-pointers and going a perfect nine-for-nine from the free-throw line. Enis added five rebounds and a steal, extending his streak to eight straight games with at least 15 points and a steal.
Joseph Pinion contributed 19 points with four three-pointers, and
CJ Brown posted 13 points and eight assists to round out the Bulls' top performers. Pinion now has 90 three-pointers on the season, ranking second in single-season program history behind only Tyler Harris' 97 (2022-23).
South Florida opened the game shooting three-for-three from beyond the arc for their first nine points, with Pinion,
Josh Omojafo and Enis each connecting early. Entering the night, Pinion and Enis alone combined for 173 made three-pointers this season - matching Memphis' team total.
After Memphis briefly moved in front 21–16 at the 13:24 mark, the Bulls flipped the game with a decisive response. South Florida began dictating tempo on both ends, pairing perimeter shot-making with consistent pressure in the paint as Memphis struggled to generate clean looks.
The Tigers went without a made field goal from 8:05 until 1:01 and endured a 5:25 scoring drought from 6:26 to 1:01. Memphis missed 20 of its final 22 field-goal attempts before the break as South Florida turned stops into separation.
Izaiyah Nelson closed the half with a putback and free throw at the buzzer to send the Bulls into halftime up 47–31.
South Florida carried its momentum into the second half, continuing to dictate tempo while forcing Memphis to play from behind. The Bulls held an 18–4 advantage in points in the paint by the 17:55 mark and never allowed the lead to drop below 12 the rest of the game.
To close the game,
Joseph Pinion drilled a 30-foot three-pointer with 43 seconds remaining, pushing the lead to 87–66 and sealing the result. The final score marked South Florida's first win over the Tigers at the Yuengling Center since 2019, ending a stretch in which Memphis had won seven of the last eight meetings.
The win gave South Florida their fifth straight victory, their longest winning streak since the 2023–24 season when the Bulls won 15 consecutive games and captured the American Conference regular-season championship.
Note-a-Bulls:
- Historic Margin – The 21-point victory marked South Florida's largest margin of victory over Memphis in series history.
- Double Digits – Four Bulls reached double digits: Wes Enis, Joseph Pinion, Izaiyah Nelson and CJ Brown.
- Double-Double Production - Izaiyah Nelson posted 17 points and 14 rebounds, tying his season high in boards and ranking him tied for second nationally in double-doubles.
- Historic Shooting - Enis has made 65 three-pointers over his last 15 games, the most by any American Conference player in any 15-game span all-time and the most by a USF player over a 15-game stretch in the last 30 seasons.
- Season-High Attendance – 6,705 fans showed out, surpassing the previous high of 4,833 vs. FAU.
- From The Line – The Bulls made a conference-play-high 30 free throws, shooting a season-high 85.7 percent.
- Defensive Dominance – The Bulls have recorded at least five steals in 33 straight games, the third-longest active streak in Division I and the program's longest run over the last 30 seasons
- American Conference Play – The Bulls have not lost by more than three points in conference play. Their three losses came vs. UAB by three in 2OT, vs. Wichita State by one in OT, and at Temple by one.
Up Next:
South Florida travels to Houston, Texas on Wednesday, Feb. 25 to take on Rice at 8:00 p.m. E.T. The matchup will air on ESPN+, 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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