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USF men’s basketball has endured a difficult start to the 2022-23 season, in a season defined by hot and cold weather and inconsistency.
South Florida (7-9, 0-3 AAC) currently sits in 10th of 11 teams in the AAC. They are one of two teams that have not won the conference.
Plagued by inconsistent play and close matches, USF started the season with five straight losses before winning six of their next eight games. After posting a winning record for the first time since November 2021, the Bulls dropped his conference his game in three straight games, including close matches against Temple and Wichita State.
Here’s how the season goes, as USF hopes to turn that play around.
Midseason Game of the Year
USF beats Charleston Southern 79-59 (December 2)
The USF has notoriously struggled shooting this season, but its offense has historically worked well against the Buccaneers.
South Florida tied the record set against Oral Roberts in 1991, equaling the decades-old program record with 14 3-pointers.
Senior guard Tyler Harris shot 5-for-6 from the 3-point line, and junior guard Jameel Chaplin and sophomore Sam Hynes Jr. added two. I suppressed it to 2 times with a shot of the time.
The game marked the first win in a five-game winning streak for the Bulls.
Heartbreak midseason this year
USF Falls 70-66 to Wichita (Jan 8)
The Bulls failed to snap the two-game skid and fell short of their first conference win in a disappointing loss to the Shockers.
South Florida took a 14-point lead in the second half, shooting 48% and 58% off 3 over Wichita State.
With foul trouble and leaky second half defense, the Bulls slowly erased their double-digit lead. USF also struggled with shooting from three men, averaging a low 11% in the second half.
The game was tied with two minutes remaining, but WSU sophomore guard Melvion Flanagan hit two straight 3s to completely put USF away.
Midseason MVP
Tyler Harris
A fifth-year senior guard, Harris has been a driving force in the Bulls’ offense this season, leading South Florida in points scored and minutes played. Harris averaged 30.4 minutes per game and scored 82 goals on the field to lead the Bulls midseason.
The move to Memphis averaged 15.3 points per game on a 37% shooting percentage and a 36% 3-point line.
Harris is one of only two Bulls to start every game at USF this season. His veteran leadership and college experience have resulted in some memorable performances this season.
The senior guard scored a season-high 22 points against the UAB and NJIT and had a game-winning 3-pointer against Northern Iowa.
mid season surprise
Sam Hines Jr.
Hines Jr. proved to be a key contributor in his first full season in the starting lineup.
Hines Jr. ranked fourth on the team in minutes played after averaging just 17 hours per game last season. He’s now playing his 26 minutes per game and boasts an impressive shooting percentage of 51%.
The former Denver transfer has two double-doubles this season and has 10-plus points and 10 rebounds in the same game twice this season against both Auburn and Wichita State. .
Hines Jr. is a versatile forward with length and agility that makes him a threat on both ends of the court. It looks like it will be the focus of the upcoming season as the Bulls hope to turn their program around.
I’m looking forward to
The team faces a series of key conference matchups, including matches against No. 1 Houston, Cincinnati, Temple and SMU in January. South Florida is also yet to go to war with Central Florida in its annual I-4 rivalry game at the Yuengling Center on January 21.
USF needs to start collecting conference wins if they want to improve their AAC tournament seeding.
The Bulls need to improve their play beyond the 3-point line to get back on the winning streak. Teams with a shooting percentage just above his 31% have often suffered from low shooting percentages this season. Free throws are also a struggle for USF, where he ranks last in the conference with just 62%.
The Bulls have proven they can get the ball into the hoop with effective speed and win streaks, but they need to improve their consistent play.
Grade: C
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