By The USF Bulls went on the road Wednesday Night and won their sixth game in a row, defeating the Rice Owls 75-56.
With this win, USF notched its 20th win of the season for just the seventh time in program history.
This is also just the second time in program history that the Bulls have won 20 regular-season games.
USF jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead and just built on that lead throughout the game, as USF would lead from start to finish.
USF was the quicker team and controlled the game inside and on the glass.
At one point in the first half, USF forced seven Rice turnovers, went on an 18-3 run, and blew the game wide open.
USF led 39-31 at the half, and although Rice tried to trim the lead, the Bulls’ defense stepped up and quickly snuffed out any momentum that Rice tried to create.
Izaiyah Nelson had his best game of the season, scoring 24 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line.
Nelson scored ten points in each half, and his dominating presence in the middle helped USF to outscore Rice 30-8 in the paint.
Other Bulls also chipped in and had a hand in the victory. Joe Pinion had 15 points, six rebounds, and four steals.
Isiah Jones had 13 points, including 3-of-5 from three-point range.
Josh Omojafo also chipped in with 12 points and six rebounds in the Bulls’ win.
USF applied defensive pressure throughout the game, creating steals, which led to a ton of fast breaks.
The Bulls forced 23 Rice turnovers, leading to 27 points.
USF also forced Rice into 17/47 shooting from the field, as the Owls struggled to get anything going offensively.
Meanwhile, USF had one of its better nights from the foul line this season, hitting 17-19 for 90 percent.
The Bulls are playing their best basketball of the season at just the right time, with the AAC tournament approaching and a possible NCAA Tournament berth on the line.
USF has played great defense, had strong offensive rebounding, and balanced scoring, putting them in position for a great March.
The win on Wednesday Night wasn’t flashy, but efficient.
The Bulls controlled the tempo from start to finish, were relentless on defense, and executed with precision.
The stats may not say the Bulls are one of the better defensive teams, but after you watch them play, they definitely pass the eyeball test.
USF is now 20-8 on the season and 13-3 in conference play, and will be back home to play Tulane on Sunday Afternoon at the Yuengling Center.
Tipoff is at 12 noon, and the game will be televised on ESPN2.
