What to Watch For: South Florida vs. Central Michigan
TAMPA, Fla., (Nov. 14, 2023) – South Florida hosts Central Michigan in the second game of a four-game homestand to start the 2023-24 season Wednesday night at Yuengling Center.
USF opened the season last Thursday with a 96-52 victory over South Carolina State in its season opener. The 44-point victory is tied for the second-largest margin of victory in program history.
CMU enters Wednesday’s contest following a 94-67 loss at Florida State on Monday.
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BullsInsider.com has your quick facts and what to watch for against Central Michigan:
Quick Facts
Matchup: USF (1-0) vs. Central Michigan (0-3)
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 15
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
Watch: ESPN+
Radio: Bulls Unlimited (TuneIn)
History: USF is 2-1 all-time against CMU. All three games were played at the Yuengling Center. The most recent contest between the two programs was a 59-56 Chippewas victory on Dec. 13, 2009
The Opponent: Only four players return from last season’s squad that finished 10-21 overall and 5-13 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). Tony Barbee is in his third season as head coach.
Junior point guard Anthony Pritchard is one of two portal gets (Tulsa) for CMU. Pritchard has good ball skills and quickness. He uses ball screens and dribble-handoffs (DHO) to get downhill. He is at his best attacking the rim and playing in the midrange but is a capable three-point shooter. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder likes to initiate contact and is strong enough to finish through most of it. He will sneak in there for rebounds – must cut him out.
Sophomore Aidan Rubio is the Chippewas best three-point shooter and is making 46.7 percent of his threes. He likes catch-and-shoot threes both in transition and in CMU’s half-court offense. Rubio will shoot off the bounce, in ball screen and in DHO action. He is an aggressive shooter, 75.0 percent of his shots are threes, but will drive it. Defenders must keep their chest in front of him and be there on the catch with a high hand.
Cayden Vasko is a 6-foot-6, 190-pound freshman combo guard with great size. He spots up and moves to open spots on the floor. Most effective in the midrange and in transition but you cannot give him any dare threes.
Back-up sophomore point guard Paul McMillan IV transferred to CMU from N.J.I.T. where he appeared in 25 game with two starts. The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder has decent quickness and knows how to use his body. Off the catch watch the ball fake into a side-step jumper.
Big man Markus Harding is in his second season with the Chippewas. At 6-foot-10, 255-pounds, Harding has good size, average athleticism and is fairly skilled. He is comfortable on the perimeter and will shoot a three if he is has space and is set and off a pick-and-pop. Harding plays hard and physical in the post and wants to get to his left shoulder. Harding did not play at FSU.
CMU spreads the floor on offense and uses lots of high ball screens. Lots of their actions begin with a pass to the post player in the high post, similar to the Point Series in the Princeton Offense.
In its first two games CMU played almost exclusively man (91.0 percent). When in zone it was a 2-3. We also saw a 1-2-2 zone press that was sometimes used as a nuisance press but they will trap if you pass into one of the half court corners. At FSU the Chippewas were in a zone defense for most of the game.
Keys To A Win
Good transition defense. CMU has multiple guys who will push the ball and look to throw it ahead. Guard the three-point line. CMU isn’t shooting great from there but they are dangerous. Play with great pace and attack their 1-2-2 zone press.