South Florida hosts Western Athletic Conference (WAC) foe Utah Valley in the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) Monday night in Yuengling Center. USF is one victory away from recording the second-most single-season wins in school history with 21.

USF advanced to the quarterfinals by erasing a 25-point deficit to Stony Brook on Wednesday with the help of a couple of career-highs – 31 points from sophomore David Collins and 13 points from freshman Michael Durr – and Alexis Yetna’s 11th double-double of the season.

UVU is in the quarterfinals of the CBI for a third straight year after knocking off CSUN on Tuesday.

RunningTheBulls.com has your quick facts and what to watch for against Utah Valley:

Quick Facts

Matchup: USF (20-13) vs. Utah Valley (25-9)

Date: Monday March 25

Time: 7 p.m. EST

Location: Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center

Watch: BullsVision (Jim Louk, Darek Sharp)

Radio: AM 820 | USF Bulls Unlimited (Jim Lighthall, Joey Johnston)

History: This will be the first ever meeting between USF and Utah Valley.

The Opponent: Utah Valley is led by redshirt-junior Jake Toolson, the WAC Player of the Year, senior Connor Toolson and redshirt-junior Baylee Steele. The Wolverines also boast the WAC Freshman of the Year in Wyatt Lowell.

Jake Toolson is Utah Valley’s leading scorer (15.9 ppg) and is excellent in ball screen action, as a spot up shooter and in transition. According to data provided by Sports-Reference.com, Jake is the only player in the country that has played in 20 or more games while shooting better than 53 percent from the field, 44 percent from three-point range, and 85 percent from the free throw line while averaging 15 or more points a game. Such a season has only been accomplished 20 times since 1992.

Connor Toolson is Utah Valley’s second leading scorer this season (13.2) and is the Wolverines fifth all-time leading scorer. Connor is very good in transition, in dribble hand-off action and as a spot up shooter. He can create his own shot, but he does not get many isolation opportunities in the Wolverines offense. Connor is a problem at both ends of the floor, he’s a very good two-way player.

The 6-foot-11, 245 pound Steele is an excellent roll man in ball screen action. It is his top scoring play type and Steele scores at least one point 63.6 percent of the time UVU passes the ball to him after he sets a ball screen. Steele is a very good offensive rebounder and makes 62 percent of his put back attempts. He runs the floor well and is an excellent finisher in transition when he gets the opportunity, but Steele is not an impressive post-up big man.

Lowell is a sniper. The freshman attempted 135 field goals this season but 105 of them were three-pointers and he made 38.1 percent. His shot selection is impressive for a freshman as Lowell attempts just under four three-pointers per game.

Other significant contributors to know are Isaiah White, Ben Nakwaasah, Connor MacDougal and T.J. Washington. Those players provide balanced scoring, between 7.9 and 8.6 points per game, while playing starter minutes.

On offense, UVU uses a 4-out-1-in motion offense with four shooters on the floor, they move the ball well, and they get very good point guard play. UVU emphasize cutting and passing to create good three-point opportunities and shoot 38.4 percent beyond the arc as a team. Between ball screens, handoffs and their action off screens, UVU can really cut you up on offense with the way they move the ball. UVU is a smart and skilled team that plays fast, but organized. Their center position is physically as big as any front court player USF has faced this season.

Defensively UVU exclusively played man defense this season and are a very good at defending the post and transition offense. The Wolverines seldom used any ball pressure in the back court.

Prediction

USF 71 Utah Valley 68

We expect another nail-biter. USF must defend Utah Valley’s ball screen action as a team because UVU will throw it in to its big man when he rolls to the basket. The Bulls must win the rebound battle and have a +5 advantage on the offensive glass. USF will need a +10 made free throw advantage and make at least seven three-pointers to win this one.