Buffalo, N.Y. – March 19, 2026 – For the nation's college basketball fans just discovering USF men's basketball — the American Conference Tournament and regular-season champions — let's break down the Bulls.
 
According to bracketologists everywhere, the No. 11-seeded Bulls (25-8) pose a major threat against the No. 6-seeded Louisville Cardinals (23-10) in Thursday's NCAA Tournament first-round game at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
 
Here are five reasons why:
 
1. Izaiyah Nelson — The 6-foot-10, 218-pound center, a transfer from Arkansas State University, has enjoyed one of the most productive campaigns in USF's 55-season history.
 
Nelson, the American Conference Player of the Year, is averaging 15.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. With 521 points and 317 rebounds, Nelson is one of only three USF players ever to compile a 500-point, 300-rebound season (joining Darrell Coleman in 1987-88 and Hakim Shahid in 1989-90). Nelson also has 18 double-doubles, tied for the second-best mark in program history.
 
"I'll put Izaiyah Nelson up with anybody in college basketball,'' head coach Bryan Hodgson said. "From a standpoint of what he has done, how he has impacted our winning … phenomenal. He's a rock. When we have Izaiyah Nelson on our roster and we're walking into a ballgame, we feel like we have a chance to win.''
 
With Nelson, it's always about more than statistics, though. It's about his effort, energy and leadership.
 
"I've tried to be disciplined while trusting the process,'' Nelson said. "If you put in the work, the rewards will come. I feel like working hard every single day, that means you can accomplish anything.
 
"All I think about is helping the team win. If it's diving on the floor, grabbing every rebound, screaming, yelling, bringing the energy … I'm going to do all of that.''
 
Nelson's teammates have noticed.
 
"Zai constantly sets the tone,'' guard Wes Enis said. "He makes everybody step up to the plate. If you're not at the same level as him, you're going to stick out. He makes you want to match his energy.''
 
"I don't know what runs it, but he always has energy and he always has a motor,'' guard Joseph Pinion said. "I feel like he's just hungrier than everyone else. I feel like he just wants it more than everybody else. He comes in, competes and just dominates, honestly. It's amazing to see.''
 
2. The 3-Point Tandem — Wes Enis and Joseph Pinion.
 
Joseph Pinion and Wes Enis.
 
They are just the 12th NCAA Division I tandem (since the 3-pointer was added in 1986-87) to each have at least 100 made 3-pointers in a season. They were tied at 100 when the regular-season concluded.
 
Current standings in USF's version of the McGwire-Sosa race: Enis (107), Pinion (106).
 
"Pick your poison, man,'' Hodgson said. "If you want to take away Joe, there's Wes. If you want to take away Wes, there's Joe. Having one guy like that is awesome. Having two is incredible. If you concentrate on them, we'll beat you up at the rim. But those guys are just relentless.''
 
"Those guys mean so much to our team,'' Nelson said. "They make it easier for the rest of us to score. I'm not surprised by their numbers. Since Day One, they've been in the gym working on contested 3-pointers, hands in their face. That work has paid off.''
 
Enis said he remembers telling someone that both he and Pinion would surpass 100 made 3-pointers this season. Mission accomplished.
 
"It's cool to be part of history,'' Enis said. "Having two guys to shoot at that clip, it really opens up our offense. Our form is different. We get off our shots in different ways. But I think our approach is similar.''
 
They are cold-blooded killers from beyond the arc.
 
"Whoever hits the 3-pointers or shots to get us the win, I'm cool with that,'' Pinion said. "It's hard to face-guard or focus on both of us, so we help each other. Having Wes here really makes it fun. We both put in a ton of reps. We're pretty fearless. We both believe that our shots are always going in.''
 
3. Defense — USF led the American in field-goal percentage defense (41.0-percent) and was fifth in scoring defense (75.22 points allowed per game). But down the stretch, including the two American Conference Tournament games, USF held seven of its last eight opponents to fewer than 70 points.
 
And look at these late-season shooting percentages allowed by USF — Wichita State (31.7), Memphis (32.8), Rice (36.2), Tulane (36.7), Charlotte (33.9) and Wichita State again (33.9).
 
Nelson was named the conference Defensive Player of the Year, a nod to his rebounding and shot-blocking ability. He also led all of the league's big men in steals (49 during the regular season).
 
"It all starts with defense,'' Nelson said. "Defense leads to offense and that leads to victories.''
 
Hodgson said assistant coach Derek Rongstad, who coordinates USF's defensive efforts, had a brilliant season of strategy and preparation. Rongstad deflected the praise and said USF players deserve the credit.
 
At the American Conference Tournament, Enis showed that he's about more than just making 3-pointers. Enis, the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, put on a defensive clinic.
 
In the semifinals, Enis limited Charlotte's Dezayne Mingo to eight points on 3-for-12 shooting (after Mingo lit up UAB with 35 points in the quarterfinals).
 
In the championship game, Enis held Wichita State's Kenyon Giles to five points (on 2-for-11 shooting). Giles went long stretches of the game without even touching the ball.
 
"I felt like Giles got the best of me during the regular season (with games of 22 and 24 points) and I took that kind of personal,'' Enis said. "Scoring points is one thing. But I think our players take great pride in their defense. It's a huge reason why we had the season that we had.''
 
4. Togetherness — Hodgson said he believes this is the most connected and mature team he has ever coached. That's an unusual quality when you bring together a completely new coaching staff and 13 new players (from 12 different destinations).
 
But it has worked. The puzzle pieces have fit.
 
"This is not a selfish team at all,'' point guard CJ Brown said. "We share the ball. We don't mind who does the scoring. Everybody fulfills their role and you can see how it comes together in winning games.''
 
"Every night it could be a different guy (leading in scoring),'' forward Josh Omojafo said. "That's when you know you've got a great team, when it doesn't matter who gets the credit or who scores the points.''
 
The Bulls have started the same lineup — Brown, Enis, Pinion, Omajafo and Nelson — in 20 consecutive games. All five of the starters have led USF in scoring multiple times. Twelve different players have scored in double digits.
 
5. The Little Things — USF's pace of play and its scoring (87.73 points per game, on pace to shatter the program record of 83.8 set in 1971-72) have been remarkable.
 
Here's more:
 
The Bulls are shooting 74.4-percent from the free-throw line (the program record is 73.8 in 1978-79).
 
They won nine road games (program record).
 
They've made more 3-pointers (318) than any other USF team.
 
They've won the rebounding battle in 18 of 20 conference games (including tournament play).
 
They had 10 or fewer turnovers in 11 conference games.
 
"All of those things add up,'' Hodgson said. "You get more possessions. You're more efficient with your possessions. Those things add up to winning. And all of these areas are things this team has done really well.''
 
The Bulls haven't lost since Jan. 31 at Temple. By defeating Louisville, USF would set the program record for single-season victories (26) and reach a 12-game winning streak (tied for second all-time).
 
"All the numbers are great,'' Enis said. "But the reason this team is winning  is because our players care about winning more than any other statistic.''
 
That's why the Bulls have built a historic season.
 
And it's why they're a major threat as the NCAA Tournament begins.
 
Tickets:
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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, amidst its 55^th season in 2025-26, captured its second regular-season American Conference Championship in program history this season, finishing 23-8. In the postseason, South Florida captured its second postseason title in program history during its 14th postseason appearance, earning its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance.  The Bulls have also made 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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