First place will be on the line on Sunday afternoon when the USF Bulls take on Tulsa in the second meeting of the year between these two top AAC schools.
Tulsa brings its 20-2 record (8-2 in conference play) to the Yuengling Center after a two-point win over FAU on Wednesday night. USF will bring a 15-8 record (7-3 in conference play) into the contest after its 109-88 win over UTSA.
The Bulls won at Tulsa earlier this season, 93-78, which was a huge statement win for USF. That was Tulsa’s first home loss of the season, and USF earned a very important quad-one win. In that game, the Bulls were excellent from three-point range (38% shooting), and also got elite scoring from Wes Enis (32 points) and Izaiyah Nelson (22 points)
The winner of this game on Sunday will set themselves as the favorite to win the AAC Tournament and secure an NCAA berth.
Tulsa is one of the best shooting teams in the NCAA and is very effective from behind the arc. USF has the advantage in rebounding, especially on the offensive end, which has led to extra possessions and, at times, shifted the momentum of games. Both teams can score in bunches and take control of games, shutting down opponents. Tulsa has been the more consistent team overall, while the Bulls have been streaky at times.
It will take a consistent effort throughout, and USF will have to play solid basketball from start to finish to defeat Tulsa. There can be no defensive lapses. The Bulls must handle the basketball with great care and make good decisions to put this one in the win column.
If Tulsa can get into a rhythm early and USF struggles defensively, the Bulls could struggle to build any momentum. Forward David Green is the most consistent scoring threat for Tulsa, leading the team with 17.1 PPG. The combination of guards Miles Barnstable and Tyren Riley has also created problems for opponents. Barnstable averages 14.8 PPG, while Riley comes in at 14.8 PPG.
The Bulls have a plethora of players that can strike quickly from long distance, including Enis, Joe Pinion, Josh Omojafo, and CJ Brown. Gavin Hightower is coming off his best game this season, scoring 21 points in the Bulls’ Wednesday night win. It will be interesting to see whether USF plays their two forwards, Nelson and Damien Collins, together. The two have been great together defensively, but offensively, when they are on the floor together, there are still a few growing pains.
These two teams are pretty evenly matched statistically. USF leads the conference in scoring at 90.1 PPG, while Tulsa is second at 87.5 PPG. The Bulls also lead the AAC in seven other stat categories, including three-point field goals made (231), rebounds per game (42.9), and offensive rebounds (15.5). Tulsa has the higher BPI Rating, Net Ranking, and Ken Pom rating going into the game, but that could all change with a USF win.
It should be a festive atmosphere for the noon tip-off on Sunday. It’s military appreciation day,
Author’s Prediction
The Bulls lost all three of their conference games by just one point each. This game will also come down to the wire, much like their earlier game this season. These teams are too good to get blown out.
But I like USF to eliminate turnovers down the stretch, play tenacious defense, and pull out a hard-earned 89-85 win over Tulsa.