Matchup: USF (5-4, 1-2) vs. UCF (3-2, 1-1)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 2
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
TV: ESPN+ (Jim Louk, Neil Solodnz)
Radio: Bulls Unlimited (Jim Lighthall, Joey Johnston)
TAMPA, FLA., JAN. 1, 2021 – The USF men’s basketball team plays its first game of the new year Saturday at 7 p.m. when the Bulls welcome in-state rival UCF to the Yuengling Center for the first round of the War on I-4.
USF enters the weekend coming off a heartbreaking 58-57 setback at Memphis on Tuesday. Freshman Caleb Murphy (Youngstown, Ohio) scored a career-high 20 points and added four rebounds and three assists, while Justin Brown (Atlanta) made all three of his 3-point attempts and finished with 11 points.
USF AND UCF
USF and UCF will meet on the hardwood for the 42nd time in school history when the two teams battle on Saturday. The Bulls own a 23-18 lead in the all-time series that dates back to the 1971-72 season. USF and UCF each won on its home court in the regular season a year ago, as the Knights won 55-54 on Jan. 18, 2020, before the Bulls evened the season series with a 64-48 win on Feb. 1, 2020, behind 14 points from both David Collins and Justin Brown.
ON FIRE
USF senior guard Justin Brown hit all his three 3-pointers Tuesday against Memphis to continue a stretch that has seen him make nearly everything from down town. In fact, Brown enters play Saturday against Memphis shooting 59.1 percent (13-for-22) from three-point range over the last six games. Overall, Brown ranks sixth in The American in three-point field goal percentage by making 45.7 percent of his treys.
DIAPER DANDY
USF freshman guard Caleb Murphy poured in a career-high 20 points Tuesday at Memphis and has already scored 100 points this season. Murphy enters play Saturday against UCF needing 186 more points to move into 10th place on the USF freshman single season scoring list. Murphy currently averages 11.1 points per game and is on pace to score over 300 points this season.
HE NEVER MISSES
USF senior guard Justin Brown made all three of his three-point attempts Tuesday at Memphis and enters the weekend shooting 45.7 percent from down town. If the season ended today, that would rank as the best single season three-point percentage in school history, surpassing the 43.1 percent shot by Reggie Kohn during the 2001-02 season. In addition, Brown is attempting to become the first Bull to shoot 40.0 percent or better from three-point range since Toarlyn Fitzpatrick finish the 2011-12 season at 41.2 percent.
FREE IS GOOD
USF senior guard David Collins made two free throws Tuesday against Memphis and has made 452 during his career with the Bulls. Collins enters play Saturday against UCF ranked second all-time in AAC history in free throws made. Collins needs five more to surpass former UCF guard B.J. Taylor for the most makes in conference history. In addition, Collins ranks third all-time at USF and is one made free throws away from tying Dominique Jones for second place.
QUADRUPLE DOUBLE?
USF junior center Michael Durr pulled down 10 rebounds Tuesday against Memphis to register his third straight game with double digit rebounds. Durr enters play Saturday against UCF attempting to have double digit rebounds in four consecutive games for the first time in his career. In addition, Durr would be the first Bull to have four straight double digit rebounding games since Alexis Yetna accomplished the feat during the 2018-19 season. During the last three games, Durr is averaging 11.3 rebounds per game. Overall, Durr has 13 career games with double digit rebounds.
QUICK HITS
• David Collins ranks eighth all-time at USF in scoring with 1,378 career points.
• David Collins is ranked third in The American in three-point field goal percentage.
• USF is holding opponents to just 28.2 percent from three-point range through nine games this season.
• Justin Brown has made the fifth-most career three-pointers in school history with 171.
• Alexis Yetna is five double-doubles shy of moving into the top 10 all-time at USF.
• USF is 22-9 since the start of the 2018-19 season when Justin Brown scores in double figures.
• David Collins ranks sixth all-time at USF in career steals with 172.
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF men’s’ basketball news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
About USF Men’s Basketball
The USF men’s basketball team is led by head coach Brian Gregory. On March 22, 2017, Gregory was introduced as the 10th head coach in program history. He previously led programs at Georgia Tech (2011-16) and Dayton (2003-11). Gregory spent nearly a decade as an assistant coach under Michigan State’s Hall of Fame head coach Tom Izzo and helped the Spartans win the 2000 NCAA National Championship. Gregory owns over 300 career head coaching wins and six postseason appearances, including the 2010 NIT Championship. In his second season at the helm of the Bulls, Gregory led the team to the best win turnaround in the NCAA, the most single-season wins in school history and the 2019 College Basketball Invitational championship.
USF has retired three numbers in its 47-year history: Chucky Atkins (12), Charlie Bradley (30) and Radenko Dobras (31). The Bulls have earned three NCAA tournament bids, appeared in the NIT eight times and won the 2019 College Basketball Invitational.
For tickets, contact the USF Ticket Office at 1-800-Go-Bulls or by going online to USFBullsTix.com.
– #GoBulls –
