Bulls Basketball Newsletter: USF hits the road looking for a statement week
USF’s first American Conference game of 2025 ended in a disheartening double-overtime loss to UAB on Sunday afternoon.
Conference play leaves little time to dwell on defeats, and Bulls coach Bryan Hodgson knows his team must move on quickly.
“This one’s going to hurt for a while, and it should,” Hodgson said. “But we get to turn around and play a really good North Texas team in two days and have a chance to get this fixed.”
USF begins its first full week of conference play with two challenging road tests. Here’s a look at what lies ahead.
American’s top offense meets top defense in Denton
USF’s first road conference game comes Wednesday night against a North Texas team that presents a stark stylistic contrast.
The Bulls lead the American in scoring at 92.1 points per game, ranking 12th nationally. North Texas counters with the league’s top defense, allowing just 63.4 points per game — also 12th best in Division I.
The difference boils down to tempo North Texas ranks 337th in adjusted tempo and averages 18.8 seconds per offensive possession, while USF ranks 17th nationally, and averages 15.1 seconds per possession.
How fast the game is played could determine the outcome.
On Sunday, UAB used a variety of defensive coverages to slow the Bulls. The Blazers alternated between man-to-man and zone defenses and frequently changed how they defended ball screens — switching, trapping the ball handler or staying with their original assignments. USF sophomore guard C.J. Brown said the changing looks “slowed down” the Bulls’ offense.
Still, USF’s tempo is most affected by its own defense. The Bulls allowed season highs of 109 points and 56 points in the paint against UAB. The Blazers also attempted 43 free throws and committed just eight turnovers. USF opponents average 16.6 turnovers per game this season,
The Bulls generated only 12 fast-break points in 50 minutes Sunday. They average 16.1 per game.
If USF wants to dictate pace, it must start defensively. North Texas has struggled with turnovers, giving the ball away on 19.5% of its possessions — 295th nationally.
Offensively, the Mean Green have had issues, ranking 13th in the conference at 69.9 points per game. Sophomore guard Je’shawn Stevenson leads North Texas at 16.7 points per game.
USF senior guard Wes Enis enters the week after a career-high 36-point performance against UAB, setting a program record with 10 3-pointers. Enis has made 16 threes over his past two games.
Senior forward Izaiyah Nelson has been dominant, recording four straight 20-point, 10-rebound games. His 10 double-doubles rank third nationally.
USF leads the American with 17.9 assists per game and assists on 59.1% of its made field goals.
Rebounding could be another advantage. North Texas has a negative rebounding margin and allows opponents to grab 33.6% of missed shots. USF rebounds 38.1% of its misses.
North Texas is coming off a 72-67 win over Tulsa on Sunday, handing the Golden Hurricane just their second loss of the season.
USF will look to secure its first conference win Wednesday in Denton by imposing its preferred tempo.
Bulls seek statement win against American’s best
Saturday presents an opportunity for Hodgson to claim the biggest win of his USF tenure.
The Bulls will travel to the Donald W. Reynolds Center to face Tulsa, which enters the week at 13-2.
Tulsa has been the American’s top team early in the season, owning the conference’s best record and KenPom rating. The Golden Hurricane rank in the top three in the league in both scoring offense and defense — the only team in the conference to do so.
Both teams are coming off home losses Sunday.
Tulsa’s success has been driven by offensive efficiency. The Golden Hurricane average 88.4 points per game while shooting a conference-best 49% from the field. They rank 18th nationally in effective field-goal percentage.
Much of that damage comes from beyond the arc. Tulsa leads the American with 10.5 made 3-pointers per game, shooting a league best 39.4%.
USF has struggled defending the perimeter, allowing opponents to shoot 35.6% from 3-point range, ranking 298th nationally.
Tulsa’s offense is balanced, with six players averaging at least eight points. Ten players log double-digit minutes, led by graduate forward David Green (14.6 ppg) and junior guard Tylen Riley (14.5).
USF will need production from senior guard Joseph Pinion, who has been streaky this season, with five games of 20-plus points and six games scoring in single digits.
Brown will also look for a bounce-back week after scoring in single figures in five of his past seven games.
The Bulls will need a complete team effort to earn back-to-back road wins against two of the conference’s best teams. If they do, it could mark the breakthrough week Hodgson and USF fans have been waiting for.