TAMPA, Fla., (Nov. 18, 2023) – South Florida aims to bounce-back from its mid-week loss when the Bulls host Northern Iowa on Sunday afternoon.
USF made just one three-pointer in 17 attempts and fell to Central Michigan on Wednesday.
UNI, picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), defeated Division III Loras College on Tuesday. The Panthers lost their season opener to North Texas.
BullsInsider.com has your quick facts and what to watch for against Northern Iowa:
Quick Facts
Matchup: USF (1-1) vs. Northern Iowa (1-1)
Date: Sunday, Nov. 19
Time: 5 p.m. ET
Location: Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
Watch: ESPN+
Radio: Bulls Unlimited (TuneIn)
History: USF is 1-0 versus UNI. Tyler Harris hit a deep three-pointer at the buzzer to defeat the Panthers 72-69 last season in Cedar Falls, IA.
The Opponent: UNI was one of the youngest teams in the nation last season (340th in experience) and finished 14-18 (9-11 MVC). The Panthers return five starters – Bowen Born, Tytan Anderson, Michael Duax, James Betz and Trey Campbell – plus a 31-game starter from the 2021-22 season in Nate Heise. Head coach Ben Jacobsen has never had consecutive losing seasons during his 17-year tenure.
Born, a fourth year guard earned first team preseason All-MVC honors, is an aggressive scorer and very crafty. The lefty combo guard creates threes off the bounce – Born loves step-backs – and using ball screens. Born scores on off-ball actions (drive-and-kicks and stagger also pin down screens). Stay down on his pump fakes.
Anderson is a 6-foot-6, 200-pound lefty 4-man. He is long, athletic and stays active. Wants to get to his left hand in the post but can drive either way. He likes to dribble into the post and spin. Anderson runs the floor well, is a good cutter and crashes the offensive glass. He posted 11 double-doubles last season. Anderson earned second team preseason All-MVC honors.
Heise returns to action after surgery on his left middle finger caused him to miss all but one game last season. He is a very good shooter, a great cutter and moves well in their system. He scores off of flare screens, pin downs and staggers.
Transfer big man Jacob Hutson (Loyola Chicago) is a skilled big man with very good hands and feet. He runs the court fluidly and is comfortable on the perimeter. Do not let him catch a pass in the dunker spot or it’s a wrap.
UNI spreads the court and runs a lot of ‘5-Out’ with quick hitting sets with a lot of screening. I saw stagger, pin downs and flare screens. They move and share the ball well.
Defensively Northern Iowa’s identity is man-to-man defense. They used a 2-3 on 10 possessions all of last season. UNI will double the post on the catch, so USF bigs must be poised and ready to pass out of the trap. They will sometimes use a 1-2-2 three-quarter court trap after a made basket and man pressure when down late in the game.
KEYS TO A WIN
Play with good tempo. UNI wants to control the game they don’t want to play up-and-down. No open threes. UNI attempted 54 three-pointers in its first two games and 21 per game last season. USF must be there on the catch. Guard the ball, be active in the gaps and be relentless on the glass.
