PHILADELPHIA, OCT. 14, 2019 – Three members of the USF men’s basketball team were named preseason all-conference and the Bulls were selected to finish fifth in the 2019-20 American Athletic Conference preseason poll, the league office announced on Monday.
Reigning AAC Defensive Player of the Year Laquincy Rideau (West Palm Beach, Fla.) was selected to the preseason first team, while defending AAC Freshman of the Year Alexis Yetna (Paris) and junior David Collins (Youngstown, Ohio) were both named to the second team. USF is the only school in the conference with three players named preseason all-conference.
Last season, Rideau paced the league with 2.9 steals per game on his way to becoming the first player in school history to win a defensive player of the year award. Rideau registered 101 steals and finished the year with the fourth-most of any player in the NCAA and the most single-season steals in conference history. He also led the league with 5.4 assists per game and became the first player in league history to pace The American in both steals in assists. Additionally, Rideau was one of only three players in the NCAA with 100 assists and 100 steals. He also scored 13.4 points per game and was selected to the All-AAC Third Team.
Yetna was tabbed the 2019 American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year after finishing the season tops in the league in rebounding with 9.6 per game and pulling down a single-season league record 346 boards. He also paced the conference with 3.3 offensive rebounds per game and featured three games with at least 16 rebounds. Yetna also added 12.3 points per game and paced the conference with 15 double-doubles. Yetna became just the second freshman of the year in school history and first since Jorge Azcoitia was named the 1979 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year.
Collins was tabbed All-AAC Third Team last season after leading USF and ranking 12th in The American in scoring with 15.9 points per game. Collins poured in 587 points last season to finish with the ninth-most points scored in a single season in league history. He also made 206 free throws to record the second-most in conference history. In addition, Collins was fourth in The American with 2.1 steals per game and was named the CBI MVP.
USF won a school-record 24 games last season and captured the College Basketball Invitational championship to secure the program’s first postseason title since 1990 Sun Belt Tournament crown. In addition, the Bulls won eight games in league play to register its highest win total since joining The American.
USF opens the season on Tuesday, Oct. 29 with a home exhibition game against Saint Leo before beginning the regular season a week later on Nov. 5 by hosting Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 8 p.m. from the Yuengling Center.
Season tickets are available starting at less than $6 per game. Fans also have the opportunity to select their seats earlier than the general public by becoming season ticket members. Season ticket deposits may be purchased at USFBullsTix.com or by calling 1-800-GO-BULLS.
2019-20 American Athletic Conference Preseason Poll and Honors
T-1. Houston (7) 113
T-1. Memphis (4) 113
3. Cincinnati (1) 94
4. Wichita State 88
5. USF 79
6. UConn 75
7. Temple 72
8. SMU 47
9. UCF 40
10. Tulsa 36
11. ECU 20
12. Tulane 15
Preseason Player of the Year
Jarron Cumberland, Sr., G, Cincinnati
Preseason Rookie of the Year
James Wiseman, Fr., C, Memphis *
Preseason First Team
Jarron Cumberland, Sr., G, Cincinnati *
Quinton Rose, Sr., G, Temple
DeJon Jarreau, R-Jr., G, Houston
James Wiseman, Fr., C, Memphis
Laquincy Rideau, R-Sr., G, USF
Preseason Second Team
Alexis Yetna, So., F, USF
Jayden Gardner, So., F, ECU
Nate Pierre-Louis, Jr, G, Temple
Alterique Gilbert, R-Jr., G, UConn
David Collins, Jr., G, USF
Christian Vital, Jr., G, UConn
* unanimous selection
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 nearly 250 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.
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For tickets, contact the USF Ticket Office at 1-800-Go-Bulls or by going online to USFBullsTix.com.
