TAMPA, Fla., (Sept. xx, 2023) – Change is the buzzword for South Florida men’s basketball’s 2023-24 season. In March USF changed head coaches from Brian Gregory to Amir Abdur-Rahim. The Bulls released their non-conference schedule in July and it had some interesting changes.
Today we learned USF’s American Athletic Conference slate, which has notable differences from last season – largely due to the departure of three programs and the addition of six from Conference USA.
Here is the full schedule, followed by three takeaways.
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THREE TAKEAWAYS
1. Non-Conference Schedule
Other than not playing on the first date allowed by the NCAA, the two things that I immediately noticed about the Bulls schedule is that there are only 11 non-conference games – instead of the usual 13 – and that after USF plays Maine on Nov. 22, it doesn’t return to Yuengling Center for another game until 20-days later on Dec. 12 vs. Arkansas Pine Bluff.
When you have a coaching change and have to rebuild your roster, it impacts how quickly you can work on your schedule and who has available dates that fit your program’s needs. Unlike football, which schedules non-conference games years in advance, most of the basketball non-conference slate is put together annually.
Additionally, the four notable matchups, Hofstra, Massachusetts, Florida State and Loyola-Chicago take place away from home (one neutral, three true road games). The Hofstra and Massachusetts games are the return games of a home-and-home series the previous staff agreed to.
2. Tough February stretch
Starting on New Year’s Eve, the Bulls get a bit of an acid test in February, due in part because the AAC didn’t do USF any favors with its games at the Texas schools. USF is at ECU (1/31) and North Texas (2/3) comes home to host Charlotte (2/6) before going back to Texas to play Rice (2/10). The Bulls return to Tampa to host Tulsa on Valentine’s Day and last year’s CUSA champion FAU on (2/18) before – you guessed it – going back to Texas to play UTSA (2/21). That’s a tough, intriguing and telling three weeks.
3. No home-and-home with Florida Atlantic
This seemed like an absolute no-brainer to everyone but the schedule makers in the American Athletic Conference office. Somehow the conference decision makers looked at its list of member schools, saw to two schools in Florida and thought that they only need to play once.
Seriously???
This should be a home-and-home each season these teams are in the same conference. Florida Atlantic is coming off a run to the Final Four and, since the Owls only lost one player from that team, could return to the NCAA Tournament this season. Besides, who wouldn’t want to go to Boca (especially if it was a weekend game)? At least the one game this season is in Tampa.
Game times and television designations will be announced at a later date.
