The South Florida Bulls will put their three-game winning streak on the line when they take on FAU in Boca Raton on Sunday at 2 p.m. in a nationally televised game on ESPN2.
Unlike USF, FAU’s season has hit the skids as they bring a five-game losing streak into the game after previously being the first-place team in the AAC. The teams met three weeks ago in Tampa in which USF notched a 89-75 win.
USF enters the contest with a one-game lead over second-place Tulsa in the AAC. The Bulls are 16-8 overall and 8-3 in the conference. Meanwhile, FAU enters the contest at 14-11 overall and 6-6 in conference play.
The Bulls beat Wichita State on the road Wednesday night, winning in impressive fashion 66-58 in what was their most complete game offensively and defensively this season. FAU is coming off a disappointing 81-73 loss at Rice on Wednesday night.
With six conference games remaining, FAU is three games back in the loss column at eighth place in the conference. The Owls need to string some wins together and will need some help along the way to move up in the standings.
USF has been one of the more consistent teams in the AAC with a balanced offense and aggressive defense helping them stay competitive in tight games. The Bulls have also shown the ability to grind out close contests and can dominate offensively when their offense is rolling.
FAU has shown some good stretches of offensive play, but they have also been inconsistent on defense and have struggled at times when matched up against a more physical team. FAU is led by Devin Vanterpool (15 PPG, 6 RPG), while also receiving solid contributions from Kanaan Caryle, Isiah Elohim, and Josiah Parker.
The Bulls have Joe Pinion, Wes Enis, and CJ Brown, and anyone can take over a game at any time with their three-point shooting. Izaiyah Nelson (the team’s MVP so far this season) and Isaiah Jones have caused problems for opponents on defense when they are paired together.
The key to the game will be tempo. USF prefers an uptempo style of play with a strong emphasis on offensive rebounding to create additional possessions. FAU likes to control the tempo, and they will want to slow things down and not let USF dictate the pace on Sunday afternoon.
If FAU can slow things down and take good shots, they can limit USF’s possessions and its scoring runs and give them a chance to win the game. USF will look to force FAU out of its comfort zone with a fast-paced tempo in this matchup. FAU will also need to limit any second-chance point attempts by the Bulls and force them to shoot mid-range jumpers. But if USF dominates the boards and can get its high-tempo game going, it will be hard for FAU to compete in this game.
A win by USF, and they will cement their status as the favorite to win the conference championship. A loss by USF, and that opens the conference race up to any one of the six teams that are currently within two games of first place.
Expect a tightly contested game with a strong USF emphasis on rebounding, pace control, and execution in late-game possessions.
USF controls its own destiny. But coach Bryan Hodgson knows that this one won’t be easy.
“We know we’ve got that target on our back,” he said. “I mean, every time we go somewhere, it seems like it’s their largest crowd of the season. That was the case against Wichita, and I’m sure it’ll be the case on Sunday in Boca. I think our guys handle those environments well.”
FAU’s balanced scoring and home-court energy can’t be overlooked, though, in this contest. FAU is desperate for a win. And the Owls would like nothing better than to send USF back to Tampa with a loss.