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TAMPA, Fla., January 1, 2026 – The University of South Florida men’s basketball team (8-5) opens conference play on Sunday afternoon against UAB (9-5) at 1 p.m. at the Yuengling Center. The matchup will air nationally on ESPNU with radio coverage available on Bulls Unlimited.

Program Comparison

The Bulls enter this game with a KenPom rating of 83, BPI of 76, and NET ranking of 70. The Blazers have a KenPom rating of 108, BPI of 98, and NET ranking of 119. South Florida ranks first in the American and 16th in the NCAA, averaging 91.1 points per game. UAB ranks fourth in the American, averaging 82.3 points per game.

The Bulls are also first in the American Conference in turnovers forced (16.6), turnover margin (+5.3), steals (10.6), assists (17.5), offensive rebounds (15.9), overall rebounds (42.2), three-point attempts (29.6), and in both free throws attempted (28.9) and made (21.6).

While UAB ranks first in the American in fast break points per game (17.0) and defensive rebounds per game (27.6).

Last Time Out

South Florida closed non-conference play with a 111–50 win over Georgia College & State University at the Yuengling Center, staying undefeated at home with a 6–0 record. South Florida won by 61 points, the largest margin in program history, and the 111 points scored ranked fifth in the program’s all-time single-game records.

The Bulls scored 61 points in the first half, their highest scoring half of the season, and second-most in program history. They finished with 51 rebounds, including 14 offensive boards. USF produced 32 fast-break points and held Georgia College scoreless in transition. The Bulls did not allow the Bobcats to score over the final five minutes of play.

Izaiyah Nelson led USF with 25 points and 12 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season, his third game in a row scoring 20 or more points. CJ Brown added 22 points, 10 rebounds, and a career-high eight assists for his second double-double of the year.

Josh Omojafo scored 23 points, tying his career-best with 13 made free throws (13–15 FT). Five Bulls scored in double figures, and South Florida played the No. 15-ranked non-conference strength of schedule in the nation according to ESPN before opening American Conference play.

The Blazers fell to Witchita State on Wednesday in their conference opener by a score of 75-70 in Birmingham, Ala.. Daniel Rivera led in points for UAB with 18 points.

Series History

Sunday marks the 65th meeting between South Florida and UAB. The last matchup took place on February 16, 2025, when the Bulls narrowly fell 78-85 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Up Next:

The Bulls continue their 2025–26 season on Wednesday, Jan. 7, traveling to Denton, Texas to take on North Texas at 8 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the game on ESPN+ or listen live on Bulls Unlimited.

Tickets:

Men’s basketball single-game and season tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls or by visiting USFBullsTix.com.

 

Follow us:

Follow South Florida men’s basketball on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

 

About USF Men’s Basketball

South Florida men’s basketball named Bryan Hodgson, 37, as the program’s 12th head coach on March 24, 2025. Hodgson came to Tampa from Arkansas State, where he led the program to back-to-back 20-win seasons and its first postseason appearance since 1999 in his two seasons at the helm.

 

The program, entering its 55th season in 2025-26, most recently won the American Athletic Conference regular season championship in 2023-24 and has made 13 postseason appearances, including three NCAA Tournaments, nine NITs, and a CBI championship in 2019. Three former Bulls – Chucky Atkins, Charlie Bradley, and Rodenko Dobras – have had their jerseys retired and are members of the USF Athletic Hall of Fame. The Bulls play their home games at the 10,400-seat Yuengling Center on the USF Tampa campus.

– #GoBulls –