TAMPA, Fla., (NOV. 18, 2021) – South Florida men’s basketball program returns to Amalie Arena for the first time since playing its home games there during the 2011-12 season when it hosts No. 21-ranked Auburn on Friday.
The USF defense, which has yet to allow an opponent to score 55 points, will face its toughest test against Auburn who is averaging 85 points per game.
BullsInsider.com has your quick facts and what to watch for against Auburn:
Quick Facts
Matchup: USF (2-1) vs. Auburn (2-0)
Date: Friday, Nov. 19
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Tampa, Fla. | Amalie Arena
Watch: ESPN+
Radio: USF Bulls Unlimited
History: This is the seventh meeting between USF and Auburn. The Bulls are 1-5 all-time against the Tigers. The last meeting was a 52-40 Auburn win on Dec. 14, 2011.
The Opponent: The Tigers had to replace four of their top six scorers from last season. Two of them were NBA Draft picks.
Auburn’s rotation includes five newcomers, four of which started its first two games. Transfers Zep Jasper, Wendell Green Jr. and Walker Kessler and freshman Jabari Smith have stepped into the starting lineup. K.D. Johnson, another transfer, played starter minutes in each of Auburn’s two games.
Jasper, a.k.a. Honey Badger, is a senior transfer from the College of Charleston. He is one of the best on-ball defenders in the country. Jasper is an older guy, who took a post grad year after high school, redshirted his freshman year, then played three seasons at Charleston.
Green Jr., a sophomore transfer from Eastern Kentucky, is equally comfortable scoring or facilitating for his teammates. What Green Jr. doesn’t get enough credit for is his rebounding. The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder seems to always be in the right spot for long rebounds. He is very good in ball screen action and wants to get to the tin.
Kessler, a big-time center prospect who transferred from North Carolina after his freshman season, is so skilled that he plays like a combo forward trapped inside a 7-foot-1 center’s body. He is elite around the rim, has a nice midrange game and moves fluidly. Kessler will be a very difficult assignment for Russel Tchewa because Kessler is a good ball handler and can break other centers down off the dribble. Kessler’s size and instincts allow him to have a big impact on defense. Kessler is on the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List. An award given to the top center in men's college basketball.
Smith has the look of a top-5 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-10 freshman can score off the bounce, knock down open threes off the catch, grab a defensive rebound and start the break and he has a nice turnaround jumper that he can dribble into. Smith is on the Wooden Award Watch List. An award given to the Most Outstanding Player in men’s college basketball.
Smith and Kessler might be the best PF/C combo in the nation.
Offensively Auburn is fun to watch. The Tigers run variations of the flex offense which gives the players a lot of freedom. Auburn has a high octane, attack off the bounce offense and they are really good in transition.
Defensively the Tigers play mostly man (93.5 percent) but they will use a high 1-3-1 with Smith at the top. Sometimes this defense switches to a 2-3 zone after the first pass. Auburn will apply back court pressure, either man-to-man or a 2-2-1 press.
Prediction
USF 67 Auburn 92
To get a victory USF must limit turnovers, handle Auburn’s ball pressure, convert offensive rebounds into points and limit Auburn's points in the paint.
