Next game: USF (10-9, 3-3) at East Carolina (11-9, 3-4)
When: January 25, 1 p.m.
Media: ESPN+ and Bulls Unlimited
The up and down season for USF men’s basketball hit another low Wednesday when the Bulls were beaten 69-61 at Charlotte. The 49ers snapped a seven-game losing streak and got their first American Athletic Conference win in seven tries.
What went wrong for USF?
Oh, just about everything.
The Bulls shot just 35.6 percent, including 5-of-27 (18.5 percent) on 3-pointers. They were 1-for-14 beyond the arc in the second half.
Charlotte also out-rebounded the Bulls 42-29.
“We were better in the second half with our ball pressure, which forced them into turnovers, which they normally don't get. So we got them out of their spots in that second half. We gave ourselves a chance, but then we couldn't make a shot,” interim coach Ben Fletcher said.
“It puts a super strain on your defense. Winning is hard when you don't make shots. So I'm not panicking on that note, and our guys have been great all year. We'll get back, get some shots up, and make sure we get ready for a good East Carolina team on Saturday.”
This game encapsulated how the season has gone for USF, particularly in the American Athletic Conference.
The Bulls opened conference play with two wins, then dropped two straight. They had a furious rally in the final five minutes to pull out a win against AAC foe Tulsa, then fell flat in this game.
They are 10-9 overall and 3-3 in the conference.
Sometimes they make the plays that have to be made, and sometimes they don’t.
They trailed by only 53-52 with 7:27 to play, but saw Charlotte go on a seven-point run. USF never got closer than five after that.
The 49ers also shot 21 free throws in the second half.
“At the end of the day, we gave ourselves a chance. We just didn't make enough shots tonight, unfortunately,” Fletcher said.
“But like said, I have complete faith in these guys, and I still think they're gonna come back and make a run at it. I really do. As bad as this one hurts, we got to look at the film, grade it, get ready to watch it tomorrow, and then be prepared to get better on what we see on here.”