Photo by Kendall Bulkiewicz | The Crow’s Nest
By Kendall Bulkiewicz
In its season-opening game, the USF men’s basketball faced off against the No. 21 University of Florida Gators on Nov. 4 at Vystar Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jacksonville for an invitational, keeping the score neck and neck for much of the game, but ultimately falling 98-83
Both teams shared a touching moment before tipoff, with a moment of silence held in honor of USF’s late head coach, Amir Abdur-Rahim. The Gators also wore special warm-up shirts with Abdur-Rahim’s initials to show their respect for his impact on the sport.
The Bulls came out strong in the first half, taking an early lead.
Guard Kobe Knox set the tone with a three-pointer at 19:19, putting USF up 3-0. Both teams struggled with their shooting in the opening minutes, but UF guard Walter Clayton Jr. missed multiple three-pointers, and guard Alijah Martin missed a layup as the first half played out.
Knox gave USF its first dunk of the game on a fast break, making it 5-2, and guard Kasen Jennings added a jumper to make it 7-4. Florida fought back with forward/center Alex Condon contributing with a dunk and a layup, but USF responded with a quick layup from guard Brandon Stroud and a solid jumper from guard Quincy Ademokoya. The Bulls held a slight 9-point advantage at 21:16.
Knox acknowledged how significant it was for the team to have each other’s support during such an emotional time.
“It’s been difficult… going through the memories this past week has helped ease the pain…That’s our guy, and we know he’s with us the rest of the way,” Knox said.
As the first half wound down, the game intensified.
With 56 seconds left, UF’s forward Thomas Haugh made two consecutive free throws, extending Florida’s lead to 38-36. USF’s guard CJ Brown missed a layup in the paint, but Haugh grabbed the rebound. After a missed three-pointer from Haugh, USF guard Jimmie Williams was fouled, making two crucial free throws to tie the game at 39-39.
However, the Gators responded with a jumper from guard Will Richard right before the half, giving Florida a narrow lead of 40-39 at halftime.
As the game unfolded, USF’s defense put up a strong front, but ultimately struggled against the Gators’ fast pace and rebounding ability, especially in the second half.
Turnovers were another key factor that hindered the Bulls’ second-half momentum.
“It really just came down to our turnovers,” Jennings admitted. “That’s what hurt us in the second half… the turnovers definitely hurt us.”
Fletcher echoed these sentiments, noting the team’s commitment to improvement.
“The effort has always been there. It’s always going to be about the details for us… paying attention to the small details that make winning plays,” Fletcher said.
Despite USF’s lost, its performance against a top-25 team set a promising tone for the season.
Fletcher praised his players’ effort, despite a few critical lapses.
“Proud of these guys tonight for coming out and fighting hard. We let a little spurt in the second half get the energy back in the crowd, but proud of their effort,” said Fletcher.
The Bulls will now focus on their game against the College of Charleston in Charleston on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed via FLOCOLLEGE and also on the radio channel, Bulls Unlimited.
