What To Watch For: USF vs. Memphis
South Florida, having already posted its best wins total since 2014-15 in head coach Brian Gregory’s first season, looks to keep alive its hopes of an American Athletic Conference Tournament run when the No. 12 seed, the Bulls meet No. 5 Memphis Thursday in Orlando. The teams split the season series.
In their last meeting USF defeated Memphis 75-51 March 1. It was the Bulls first win in Memphis since 2003 and the first time USF ever defeated Memphis in FedEx Forum. The win also snapped the Bulls eight game losing streak.
Memphis comes to Orlando amid a growing din that Memphis legend, and NBA All-Star, Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway will replace Tubby Smith soon after the Tigers season ends.
RunningTheBulls.com has your quick facts and what to watch for in the rubber match against Memphis:
Quick Facts
Matchup: USF (10-21, 3-15 AAC) & Memphis (19-12, 10-8 AAC)
Date: Thursday, Mar. 8
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Orlando, FL | Amway Center
Watch: ESPU (Kevin Brown, John Thompson III)
Radio: AM 820 | GoUSFBulls.com | USF Bulls Unlimited (Jim Lighthall, Joey Johnston)
History: The Bulls are a 5-25 all-time against Memphis.
The Opponent: Memphis is without Jeremiah Martin. The second team All-AAC point guard broke his left foot during the Tigers win over No. 23 Houston on February 22.
With Martin sidelined the Tigers are relying more on Kyvon Davenport. The 6-foot-8, 210-pounder is a good pick-n-pop four-man whose shooting range must be respected. In the loss to USF Davenport was a bright spot for Memphis with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Junior Kareem Brewton Jr. stepped into the starting point guard spot in Martin’s absence. Against the Bulls last week he was not very effective but he bounced back Sunday against ECU with a career-high 22 points. Brewton is not the perimeter shooting threat that Martin was but he has a nice midrange game, is excellent in isolation and in the Tigers ball screen offense.
Mike Parks, Jr. is a big body below the rim center at 6-foot-8, 260-pounds that scores mostly off of OREBs/put backs and receiving passes when he cuts or rolls to the basket after setting a ball screen. His post-up game needs work but, ironically, he is a very good post-up defender. If Memphis uses a Parks screen he will roll to the basket, we’ve never seen him pick and pop.
Junior Raynere Thornton is a wild card for Memphis. The 6-foot-6 forward was a non-factor last week against USF but in the four games since Martin was injured, Thornton is shooting 61 percent (11-of-18) beyond the arc. Remember his name.
Offensively, Memphis sometimes struggles to get buckets. The Tigers are a poor jump shooting team, making just 32.5 percent of their spot ups. They do drive the ball hard to the basket and will run some action off of a Horns set. Memphis is below average against zones scoring only .826 points per possession and shooting less than 40 percent versus zone. Last week we said USF could throw some zone at Memphis. By Brian Gregory’s account, the Bulls played “90 percent zone” in the win.
Defensively Memphis plays mostly man (85 percent) in what Tubby Smith calls a ball-line defense. The philosophy is based on ball pressure, contesting shooters, denying interior passes and retreating parallel to the ball, or the "ball-line," in order to help stop drives to the basket. The Tigers are willing to play zone and use it early. They will aggressively trap at mid-court and use a variety of full court presses.
Outlook: The Tigers will be looking for payback for the 24-point beat down the Bulls gave them last week. We expect Memphis to press and trap often and physically. USF can’t turn away or back up, they have to be tough and go at them while taking care of the ball. USF can’t have live ball turnovers. USF has to win the battle of the boards and make quality shot selections. On defense the Bulls must cut off dribble penetration and do it without fouling, Memphis is No. 4 in the nation at getting to the free throw line.
Prediction: USF 67 Memphis 62