USF’s Defense Cools Off Charlotte, Advances to American Championship Game
The Bulls used a strong defensive performance to put them one game away from a championship and the NCAA Tournament
Charlotte entered the American Conference tournament semifinals riding a two-game winning streak behind scorching shooting performances.
That run ended Saturday when they ran into a stifling South Florida defense.
“They were really good in the last two games, but that wasn’t against us,” USF head coach Bryan Hodgson said.
Charlotte shot 33.9% from the floor and 24.1% from 3-point range Saturday afternoon. USF recorded 12 steals and scored 22 points off 14 Charlotte turnovers.
The 49ers entered the game after back-to-back performances in which they shot more than 75% from the floor in the second half. They had 26 three-pointers combined in their last two games.
“The pressure they put on you to be very tough is very good in all phases of the game,” Charlotte head coach Aaron Fearne said after the game. “You’ve got to really concentrate to compete with them and put enough pressure back on them.”
With the win, USF advances to its first conference tournament final since 1990, when the Bulls won the Sun Belt Conference tournament championship.
Hodgson has reached a conference title game in each of his three seasons as a head coach — two at Arkansas State and one at USF. He becomes just the fourth coach in Division I history to accomplish that feat. Hodgson lost in the Sun Belt Conference championship game the past two seasons.
The Bulls were led by the guard duo of junior Wes Enis and senior Joseph Pinion, who scored 24 points each. The pair combined to make 10 3-pointers.
USF shot 41% from beyond the arc and made 12 3-pointers in the game. It was just the fifth time this season the Bulls shot more than 40% from 3-point range.
Enis also defended Charlotte senior guard Dezayne Mingo, who entered the game averaging 27 points per game in the 49ers’ first two tournament games.
USF senior forward Izaiyah Nelson added 16 points and eight rebounds.
Charlotte junior center Anton Bonke led the 49ers with 15 points and nine rebounds.
USF will face the winner of Tulsa and Wichita State in the American Conference tournament championship on Sunday.
“This is a very connected team. They understand our team goals,” Hodgson said. “It’s not a coincidence that we’re here. I’ve got a team full of winners, and I’ve got the best coaching staff in the country.”
The Bulls will attempt to cut down the nets Sunday in Birmingham, with tipoff scheduled for 3:15 p.m.