The University of South Florida men’s basketball team fell to Saint Joseph’s, 83-80, on Wednesday at Alumni Hall at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. South Florida opened with a 12-0 lead and trailed 39-34 at halftime before scoring 46 second-half points. The Bulls cut the deficit to one in the closing minutes, but Saint Joseph’s secured the Veterans Classic victory.
South Florida entered the game 1-2 overall and 0-0 in the American, while Saint Joseph’s entered 3-0 overall and 0-0 in the Atlantic 10. The Hawks extended their lead to 14 points in the second half before South Florida began its comeback. The Bulls had the ball with 32 seconds remaining and a chance to tie or take the lead, but a turnover ended the possession.
Turnovers offset South Florida’s rebounding advantage
South Florida committed 23 turnovers and 23 fouls while shooting 8-of-28 from 3-point range. The Bulls controlled the glass, 52-36, but Saint Joseph’s made 12-of-26 attempts from beyond the arc and committed only six turnovers. The difference in ball security and outside shooting kept South Florida from completing the rally.
Saint Joseph’s used an 11-3 run early in the second half to open a 50-37 lead. Mike James answered with a 3-pointer, and South Florida later got additional 3-pointers from Andrej Shoshkikj and Chris Davis Jr. Sonny Wilson’s free throw cut the margin to 68-64 with 7:28 remaining, and the Bulls later moved within two at 77-75.
Wilson then made a driving basket, drew a foul and converted the free throw to bring South Florida within one at 79-78. Saint Joseph’s answered when BJ Ranson made his sixth 3-pointer of the game with 1:19 left to make it 82-78. Zayden High made two free throws to cut the lead to two, but South Florida’s 23rd turnover came after a defensive stop, and the Hawks finished the game at the foul line.
Five Bulls reached double figures
Mike James and Chris Davis Jr. led South Florida with 16 points apiece. James added nine rebounds and made 3-of-5 3-point attempts, while Davis Jr. had seven rebounds after scoring 10 first-half points. Andrej Shoshkikj added 15 points and six rebounds off the bench while making all three of his 3-point attempts.
Sonny Wilson and Zayden High scored 13 points each. High made all five of his field-goal attempts and went 3-of-4 at the free-throw line, while Garrett Johnson contributed during the second-half rally. Saint Joseph’s was led by BJ Ranson’s 21 points and 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point range, while Sean Logan recorded five blocks.
Next game
South Florida will host Coppin State on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 2 p.m. The game will stream on ESPN+. It will be South Florida’s next opportunity to turn its rebounding strength and late-game resilience into a victory.
FSB Take
South Florida showed it could recover from a substantial second-half deficit, but the 23 turnovers created too much pressure on the closing possessions. The Bulls also had a clear rebounding advantage, yet Saint Joseph’s perimeter shooting helped protect the lead. Against Coppin State, South Florida’s ability to limit turnovers will be central to converting that all-around effort into its second win.
Source: Original report