South Florida begins another season under Orlando Antigua with questions about what kind of team the Bulls will have on the court.

Location: Sun Dome | Tampa, Florida

Date/Tip Time: Friday November 11, 7 p.m.

Watch: ESPN3 (Jim Barbar, Mike O’Donnel)

Listen: 820 AM (Jim Lighthall, Todd Kalas)

History: USF is 7-4 all-time against Florida A&M and has won the last five games in the series, all in Tampa.

The Opponent

2015-16 Review: Of the handful of low major opponents on the schedule, Florida A&M finished dead last in adjusted offensive efficiency the Kenpom.com rankings last season at No. 351 nationally.

Last season they finished 8-21 overall and 4-12 in MEAC play. Two of their eight wins came against non-Division I opponents and the other six victories were by a combined total of 17 points -- including two double-overtime wins against MEAC opponents. The Rattlers had just one win in a true road game.

2016-17 Outlook: FAMU makes the drive south from Tallahassee for tonight's opener as much in search for a win as they are in search of an identity. With just two returning starters and eleven freshmen listed on their roster, the Rattlers are one of the youngest teams in the country this season.

For the first time since the 2013-14 season, the Rattlers are eligible for the postseason -- the result of APR-related sanctions that pre-date current head coach Byron Samuels who is in his third-year at the school.

FAMU finished 2-27 in Samuels’ first season, then went 8-21 last year and were led by the play of Junior Malcolm Bernard. The 6-foot-6, 195-pound guard led the Rattlers in points (14.4 ppg) and rebounds (7.1 rpg) during the 2015-16 season. Following the season, however, Bernard transferred to Xavier.

St. Petersburg native and former Berkeley Prep star Craig Bowman is expected to step into a leadership role this season. Bowman, who signed with FAMU before Samuels was hired, was the Rattlers second leading scorer last season, averaging 11.6 points per game in MEAC play.

JuCo transfer Desmond Williams, a 6-foot-6, 195-pound wing is a multi-position player who should add versatility to the Rattlers. Williams averaged 15.7 points and 5.5 rebounds last season for Alabama Southern Community College.

Three Things To Watch For

Newcomer impact: USF got a player of the week type of performance from redshirt freshman Tulio Da Silva who had 26 points and 16 rebounds in the exhibition win over D2 opponent Nova Southeastern. Although FAMU is a low-major opponent, they still represent a step up in competition. We do not expect another 26 and 16 night from Da Silva but we do expect another solid performance, particularly if the Bulls can get him the ball in space and he continues to rebound well.

Freshman guard Michael Bibby, who got the starting nod at point guard and played 39 minutes against Nova Southeastern struggled at times with six turnovers and just 3-of-11 shooting. Can he bounce back and look more comfortable in what should be fewer minutes tonight?

Redshirt junior Geno Thorpe was a coach's decision DNP against Nova Southeastern but he is expected to be in the lineup tonight and get time at point guard. There are many things that factor into winning college basketball games. Among them are getting things done on defense that don't always show up in box scores -- that is something the Bulls are expecting from Thorpe.

Big man production: When you have a 7-foot, 235 pound center and you get zero points from him against a D2 opponent, that is just unacceptable. Ruben Guerrero attempted just three field goals and one free throw in 20 foul plagued minutes. He did block two shots and grab six rebounds but for the Bulls to be successful they need Guerrero to be an inside scoring threat in addition to his rim protection.

Free Throws: The Bulls simply have to make more of them. Last season USF did not shoot 62 percent from the free throw line. Against Nova Southeastern the Bulls were a pitiful 14-of-24 (58.3 percent) from the line.

Promotions: In honor of Veterans Day and USF’s Salute to Service game, all military members may purchase hotdogs, popcorn or drinks for $1 when showing their military ID.