When South Florida opens the 2018-19 season tonight against Alabama A&M you might need a program to know most of the USF starters. Sophomore guard David Collins (13) and senior center Nikola Scekic (29) are the only players on the roster who started at least 10 games for the Bulls last season.
Of course, any coach will tell you that it is not important who starts -- especially when a couple of players have nagging injuries -- it is important who is on the court down the stretch of the game. Of course, any fan will tell you that they are interested in who starts.
RunningTheBulls.com has your quick facts and what to watch for against Alabama A&M:
Quick Facts
Matchup: Alabama A&M (0-0) at USF (0-0)
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 6
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
Watch: BullsVision
Radio: Bulls Unlimited
History: This is the first ever meeting between the two programs.
The Opponent: Alabama A&M finished the 2017-18 season with an abysmal 3-28 (3-15) record. They lost the first 13 games they played before winning two of their first eight games in January. They did not win again until the last game of the regular season in March. Unless their coaching change and new players have a significant impact, Alabama A&M could end up as the worst R.P.I. team on USF’s schedule this season.
Since the end of last season the Bulldogs have had quite a few changes. Head Coach Donnie Marsh – a one-time Bulls assistant under Stan Heath – resigned in May. Subsequently, Dylan Howard was elevated from assistant coach to interim head coach, a job title that he continues to have.
In addition to having a new head coach, the Bulldogs will have a new-look team.
Three players – guard Gerron Scissum, guard Walter Jones and guard Brandon Miller – sat out last season after transferring into the Alabama A&M program. They are eligible this season along with JuCo transfer guard Brandon Wright and forward Shaquille Seville. The game will be a homecoming, of sorts, for Bulldogs sophomore guard Amari Goulbourne who attended Tampa Prep.
The Bulldogs’ leading scorer is back. Senior guard Arthur Johnson averaged 11.2 points per game and started 29 of A&M’s 31 games last season. Johnson actually filled up the stat sheet for the Bulldogs last season. In addition to leading the team in scoring (he made 40.6 percent of his field goals including 35.3 percent beyond the arc, Johnson was also second in rebounds and steals and third on the team in assists. Most of Johnson’s three-point attempts come on the wings – where he is most accurate – or the left corner.
Alabama A&M also returns a number of veteran mainstays, including 6-foot-7 senior forward Andre Kennedy, 6-foot-6 junior forward Evan Wiley, 6-foot-5 senior wing Jalen Reeder. Despite his size, Kennedy is a power forward who gets most of his points within seven feet of the basket – he made 52.6 percent of his field goal attempts in that range. He is not much of a face-up threat. Kennedy loves the jump hook and is not effective as an offensive rebounder or as a ball screen roll man.
Wiley is a good spot up shooter with range and loves the right wing and right corner. The Bulls need to make him dribble the basketball because last season he was not effective off the bounce. In the half-court offense, if Wiley does drive to the basket, it will most likely be to his right for a pull-up jumper or floater. Wiley is the guy the Bulldogs look for in short shot clock situations. He made 58.3 percent of his field goal attempts with less than four seconds on the clock.
Reeder can make three-pointers if he is open and has time. He is especially effective on the left wing. He is another player the Bulls must make dribble the ball. Last season 62.3 percent of Reeder’s jump shot attempts were no-dribble jumpers. Reeder does not take many attempts in the mid-range or around the basket unless in transition.
With only three wins all season the Bulldogs team stats were all below average or poor. Defensively Alabama A&M played mostly man (76.3 percent) but teams averaged .933 points per possession against their man defense last season. When they were in zone it was slightly easier for opponents to score against Alabama A&M (.955 points per possession).
Prediction
USF 75 Alabama A&M 60
It is pretty difficult to scout a team that has a new coach and so many new players. Three things that stands out to us are 1) the amount of dribble hand-off action the Bulldogs run, 2) their use of floppy action to get shooters open and 3) the number of guards on the Bulldogs roster. This could lead to some small-ball lineups from Alabama A&M that feature four guards, one big man and lots of zone defense. The Bulls bigs will have to chase around smaller players, but should have a good night on offense. Overall the Bulls are more athletic, longer and bigger than the Bulldogs so this should be a victory with a double-digit margin.
