UAB rallies past USF 109-106 in double-overtime opener

The South Florida Bulls were outlasted by the UAB Blazers 109-106 in double overtime Sunday afternoon in their American Conference opener.

The loss was USF’s first in a conference opener since falling to Memphis to open league play in December 2022 and its first defeat at the Yuengling Center this season, dropping the Bulls to 6-1 at home.

UAB extended its winning streak over USF to seven games. Blazers coach Andy Kennedy remains undefeated against the Bulls since taking over in 2020.

USF controlled much of the game, leading by three at halftime and never trailing in the second half. The Bulls built their largest lead to ten points after the break but were unable to put UAB away.

“We had costly mistakes down the stretch on both sides of the ball,” USF coach Bryan Hodgson said. “I thought we as a group got sloppy for stretches, and that’s something that’s got to get fixed.”

UAB closed regulation on a 14-5 run, tying the game at 83 when senior forward Daniel Rivera made two free throws with three seconds remaining.

USF again appeared poised to take control in overtime, leading 94-91 with 54 seconds remaining. But with 14 seconds left and the Bulls up two, senior forward Isaiah Jones missed a free throw, and UAB junior guard Quaran McPherson rattled in a game-tying jumper with four seconds left in the extra frame.

The Blazers seized control in the second overtime as USF turned the ball over five times. Still, the Bulls had a chance to tie at the buzzer, but freshman guard Adriel Nyorha took an extra dribble and attempted a two-point shot while trailing by three.

“I’m sure Adriel’s probably going to remember for the rest of his career that we needed a three on that last possession, not a pull-up two,” Hodgson said.

USF scored 100 points for the fifth time this season. Senior guard Wes Enis led the Bulls with 36 points, the most by a USF player this year. Enis set a program record with ten 3-pointers, while the rest of the Bulls combined to make just three from beyond the arc.

Senior forward Izaiyah Nelson added 23 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth straight 20-point, ten rebound performance. Nelson has ten double-doubles this season, the second most in the country. Senior forward Josh Omojafo also recorded a double-double with 15 points and ten rebounds.

Six UAB players scored in double figures as the Blazers handed USF a season-high 109 points. UAB scored 56 points in the paint, also a season high allowed by the Bulls.

Sophomore guard Chance Westry came off the bench to lead UAB with 24 points. The Blazers finished with 38 bench points compared to USF’s 16.

Free throws were a major factor. UAB attempted 43 free throws — seven more than USF — and shot 72%, while the Bulls shot 64%. Three Blazers and two Bulls fouled out.

The matchup featured the American’s top two rebounding teams, with USF outrebounding UAB by 12.

“This group is committed to getting better,” Hodgson said. “This one’s going to hurt for a while, and it should. 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 will face North Texas on the road Wednesday in its first conference road game of the season.