A USF fan’s guide to the Battle 4 Atlantis

The South Florida Bulls will head to the Bahamas to play in the annual Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis in-season tournament. The event is played on Paradise Island, Bahamas, and its inaugural year was 2011. Since then, the Battle 4 Atlantis has become one of the premier college basketball in-season tournaments, taking place every year except 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

USF will participate in the Battle 4 Atlantis for the first time on the men’s side. The women’s team went in 2021 and secured a third-place finish.

The Bulls travel to Atlantis with an opportunity to boost their résumé. USF enters the tropical event with a 3-2 record and a No. 82 KenPom rating.

Memphis (76), USF and Wichita State (92) are the only American Athletic Conference teams inside the KenPom top 100. KenPom is a key metric the NCAA Tournament selection committee uses to evaluate teams and determine seeding.

The tournament features a wide range of intriguing teams and storylines. Three first-year coaches will take their teams to the Bahamas, and four teams that made last year’s NCAA Tournament are in the field.

The Bulls may be heading to a place known for relaxation, but they’ll need to lace up and get to work.

Battle 4 Atlantis Field

USF

Record: 3-2
KenPom Rating: 82

USF enters Atlantis coming off a 103-95 loss to Oklahoma State. The Bulls led by one at halftime before the Cowboys used lights-out second-half shooting to pull away. Oklahoma State shot 66.7% from the field in the second half, finished 50% from three and made 11 threes overall.

USF continues to score at an elite level. The Bulls are averaging 100 points per game, fifth most in the nation.

They play at a breakneck pace, boasting the 13th-highest adjusted tempo in the country with an average possession length of 14.1 seconds. USF averages 19.6 fastbreak points per game.

USF is second in the nation averaging 36 free-throw attempts per game.

Senior transfers Josh Omojafo and Joseph Pinion lead the team with 17.6 and 16.8 points per game. Sophomore guard C.J. Brown is filling the stat sheet with 15.4 points, 4.8 assists and two steals per game. Brown recorded his first career double-double against Oklahoma State. Senior forward Izaiyah Brown has three double-doubles in five games.

VCU

Record: 3-2
KenPom Rating: 55

The Rams made the NCAA Tournament last season, but head coach Ryan Odom left for Virginia in the offseason. Former Bryant head coach Phil Martelli Jr. now leads the program.

VCU has made the NCAA Tournament nine times in its 13 seasons in the Atlantic 10, doing so under four different head coaches.

Martelli brings a fast-paced, hard-nosed style. VCU ranks 22nd nationally in adjusted tempo.

The Rams feature a balanced offense with six players averaging double figures. VCU assists on 64.1% of its field goals.

Senior Oregon transfer Jadrian Tracey leads the Rams with 13 points per game and shoots 44.8% from three.

Vanderbilt

Record: 5-0
KenPom Rating: 14

Vanderbilt made the NCAA Tournament last season in its first year under head coach Mark Byington.

The Commodores have dominated early, winning five games by an average of 30 points. They also own a win over UCF.

Vanderbilt ranks third nationally in scoring at 101.5 points per game and ranks fifth in Division I in adjusted offensive efficiency at 124.8.

The Commodores have been elite inside the arc, shooting 66.1% on two-point attempts. They turn the ball over on just 10.2% of possessions, the second-fewest in the nation, and average 21.4 assists per game.

Sophomore guard Tyler Tanner leads the team with 16 points per game. Graduate guard Duke Miles, now on his fourth team, adds 15.4 points and 5.6 assists.

Western Kentucky

Record: 4-0
KenPom Rating: 147

Western Kentucky finished 17-15 in head coach Hank Plona’s first season. Plona coached eight years at Indian Hills Community College before joining WKU as an assistant in 2023 and becoming head coach in 2024.

The Hilltoppers led the nation in adjusted tempo last season and are averaging 90.2 points per game this season.

WKU gets to the line frequently, averaging 25 free throws per game. The Hilltoppers turn the ball over on just 10.1% of possessions — the fewest in the country — and force turnovers on 20.6% of defensive possessions.

They have struggled from deep, shooting 27.6% on 72 attempts.

Sophomore Teagan Moore leads WKU with 18.4 points and six rebounds. Senior North Texas transfer Grant Newell adds 14.8 points.

Virginia Tech

Record: 5-0
KenPom Rating: 58

The Hokies are led by seventh-year head coach Mike Young, the 2021 ACC Coach of the Year. He guided the program to an ACC Tournament title that year. Young has two NCAA Tournament appearances with Virginia Tech and led Wofford to five during his decade there.

Virginia Tech is led by freshman phenom Neoklis Avdalas, ranked the No. 2 international newcomer in the 2025 class by 247Sports. Avdalas played two years professionally in Greece before joining the Hokies.

He has transitioned seamlessly, averaging 15.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.6 assists. He scored 33 in a 107-101 overtime win over Providence and is projected as a 2026 NBA lottery pick.

Junior transfer Amani Hasberry leads the team with 16 points and 8.3 rebounds.

Virginia Tech plays a methodical and efficient style. The Hokies rank 123rd in adjusted tempo but average 92.2 points per game. They turn the ball over on just 10.9% of possessions, and opponents record steals only 5% of the time — both top-10 nationally.

Colorado State

Record: 4-1
KenPom Rating: 77

Colorado State is replacing a lot from last year’s NCAA Tournament team.

Former head coach Niko Medved left for Minnesota, and star Nique Clifford was drafted in the first round by the Sacramento Kings.

Ari Farokhmanesh — a seven-year assistant on staff — was promoted to head coach.

His offense has impressed early. The Rams are averaging 89.8 points per game and shooting 51.6% from the field, 25th in the nation. They’re hitting 44.9% from three (sixth nationally) and shooting a Division I–best 85.6% from the free-throw line.

Sophomore forward Kyle Jorgensen leads with 17.8 points per game. Illinois transfer Carey Booth adds 13.6 points and 9.2 rebounds.

Colorado State has played the No. 182 strength of schedule and enters Atlantis coming off a loss to Denver.

Saint Mary’s

Record: 6-0
KenPom Rating: 26

Saint Mary’s is the most accomplished program in the field.

Head coach Randy Bennett is in his 25th season, has won seven WCC Coach of the Year honors and has led the Gaels to 12 NCAA Tournaments. They’ve shared the WCC regular-season title and made the tournament each of the last four seasons.

In a field full of explosive offenses, the Gaels lean on defense. They rank top 20 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency and opponent effective field-goal percentage. Saint Mary’s allows just 57.8 points per game.

Their offense is methodical, with an average possession length of 18.6 seconds. They shoot 50% from the field and a Division I–third-best 45.6% from three.

Sophomore guard Mikey Lewis and junior forward Paulius Murauskas lead the way with 19.7 and 18.3 points.

Wichita State

Record: 4-1
KenPom Rating: 91

Paul Mills and Wichita State are coming off a 19-15 season. This is Mills’ third year leading the program after orchestrating Oral Roberts’ Cinderella run to the 2021 Sweet 16.

The Shockers returned just two of their top nine scorers, and their play reflects the turnover. They average 81.8 points per game and rank No. 102 in adjusted offensive efficiency.

Wichita State has dominated the boards with a plus-9 rebounding margin and grabs offensive rebounds on 40.5% of its misses.

Defensively, the Shockers allow just 62.8 points per game. Opponents average just 8.8 assists and shoot 40.9% on two-point attempts.

Senior UNC Greensboro transfer Kenyon Giles leads the team with 19.6 points per game. Senior Nicholls State transfer Michael Gray Jr. is the only other Shocker averaging double digits.

The Bulls will tip-off the tournament against VCU on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern. On Thanksgiving Day, USF will play either Vanderbilt or Western Kentucky, depending on Wednesday’s results. The Bulls will also play a game on Friday before heading back to Tampa.