For USF men’s basketball, a 4-3 record at this point won’t call for any ticket-tape parades. But it’s more about how the Bulls have played than the record in the first month of the season, and that’s where they have shined.
If you’ve watched them play, you know what I mean. Their ball movement continually leads to scoring opportunities, and 6-11 Jamille Reynolds, a transfer from Cincinnati, has been a revelation. They’ve had balanced scoring and a rotation that makes full use of a deep bench.
Through the first seven games, nine players have logged double-digit playing time per game. Those players also have accumulated at least 100 minutes of court time. That's great balance.
Dealing with the loss of head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim 10 days before the Bulls’ opening game against the Florida Gators cast uncertainty over the entire season. However, their familiarity with interim coach Ben Fletcher – Abdur-Rahim’s top assistant – allowed the Bulls to both grieve and grow.
Fletcher stressed he would use the same playing style Abdur-Rahim employed last year in leading the Bulls to a school-record 25 wins and the regular-season American Athletic Conference championship.
It has worked.
The current break in the schedule also gave them a chance to breathe. Their game against Stetson on December 3 at the Yuengling Center is USF’s first since November 24, when they beat Wright State 73-72 on Jayden Reid’s buzzer-beating jumper.
Reid later sent out a tweet that showed Abdur-Rahim will always be in the Bulls' hearts.
That’s for Coach🙏🏽 https://t.co/zrKtuyl8kP
— jaydenreid0 (@jaydenreid0) November 24, 2024
Stetson, an NCAA Tournament team last year, is 1-6 and hasn’t won since beating New College to open the season.
The Bulls’ three losses came against opponents with a combined 18-4 record – Florida, College of Charleston, and Middle Tennessee State. The Gators just beat Wichita State of the AAC 88-51 to remain undefeated after eight games.
It was the Shockers’ first loss.
The Bulls will head back on the road after the Stetson game, traveling to Loyola (Chicago) on December 7 and Utah State a week later. Those teams are a combined 13-0.
Conference play begins on December 31 against East Carolina.