Matchup: USF (5-3, 1-1) vs. Memphis (5-4, 1-1)
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 29
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Memphis, Tenn. | FedEx Forum
TV: ESPN2 (Kevin Brown, Robbie Hummel)
Radio: Bulls Unlimited (Jim Lighthall, Joey Johnston)
TAMPA, FLA., DEC. 27, 2020 – The USF men’s basketball team looks for its second consecutive road win Tuesday at 7 p.m. (EST) when the Bulls take on Memphis at the FedEx Forum.
USF suffered a heartbreaking 82-77 loss in overtime Dec. 22 to Wichita State in its last game. Senior guard David Collins (Youngstown, Ohio) scored 17 points to go along with five assists and three steals to lead four Bulls in double figures.
Junior Alexis Yetna (Paris) registered his second straight double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds, while Michael Durr (Atlanta) added a career-high 14 rebounds and scored eight points.
USF AND MEMPHIS
USF and Memphis will meet on the hardwood for the 35th time in history when the two teams battle on Tuesday. The Tigers own a 27-7 lead in the all-time series that dates back to the 1972-73 season. The Bulls, however, have won three of the last five games against the Tigers, which includes two straight wins at FedEx Forum. In the most recent meeting, USF defeated Memphis 75-73 last February behind 21 points from both David Collins and Laquincy Rideau.
TWO IN A ROW?
The USF men’s basketball team will be attempting to accomplish something it hasn’t achieved in the last 37 seasons when the Bulls take the court Tuesday at Memphis. USF takes the court Tuesday attempting to win its first two road games of league play for the first time since doing so during the 1982-83 season. In that season playing as members of the Sun Belt, USF won its first two conference road games of the season at Jacksonville and at Charlotte. USF ended the 1982-83 season 22-10 overall and 8-6 in the Sun Belt en route to an appearance in the NIT. Earlier this month, USF won 74-71 at Cincinnati behind 16 points and 12 rebounds from Alexis Yetna to snap an 11-game losing streak to the Bearcats.
HAVING THEIR NUMBER
USF senior guard David Collins has enjoyed a great deal of success in his career when facing Memphis. In fact, Collins enters play Tuesday averaging 20.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game in six career games against the Tigers. Collins has scored at least 20 points in five of the six career games against Memphis, which includes erupting for 30 points against the Tigers in the opening round of the 2018 conference tournament in Orlando during his freshman season.
ON FIRE
USF senior guard Justin Brown hit two of his three 3-pointers last Tuesday against Wichita State to continue a stretch that has seen him make nearly everything from down town. In fact, Brown enters play Tuesday at Memphis shooting 52.6 percent (10-for-19) from three-point range over the last five games. Overall, Brown ranks 10th in The American in three-point field goal percentage by making 40.6 percent of his treys.
TRIPLE DOUBLE?
USF junior center Michael Durr pulled down a career-best 14 rebounds last Tuesday against Wichita State and had 11 boards the previous game at Cincinnati. Durr enters play Tuesday at Memphis attempting to have double digit rebounds in three consecutive games for the first time in his career. Overall, Durr has 12 career games with double digit rebounds.
SECOND CHANCE SQUAD
USF pulled down 19 offensive rebounds last Tuesday against Wichita State and finished with eight more offensive boards than the Shockers. The Bulls have been extremely successful in securing second opportunities thus far this season and enter play Tuesday against Memphis with a 110-69 edge in offensive rebounds this season. In addition, the Bulls have registered more offensive rebounds than their opponent in all but one game this season. Overall, USF ranks fourth in The American with 13.8 offensive rebounds per game.
QUICK HITS
• David Collins ranks eighth all-time at USF in scoring with 1,374 career points.
• USF is 12-3 over the last three seasons in the month of December.
• David Collins is ranked third in The American in three-point field goal percentage.
• USF is holding opponents to just 28.3 percent from three-point range through eight games this season.
• Justin Brown has made the fifth-most career three-pointers in school history with 168.
• David Collins has made 450 career free throws and ranks third all-time in school history and second in AAC history.
• USF is 22-8 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 171.
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.
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