South Florida Bulls Basketball Tickets

South Florida Bulls basketball may not be one of the most recognizable names in college basketball, but the program has been making progress and gaining traction in recent years. As a member of the American Athletic Conference (AAC), the Bulls face tough competition from schools such as Connecticut, Memphis, and Houston on a regular basis. However, under the guidance of head coach Brian Gregory, South Florida has begun to solidify itself as a respectable program that can compete with some of the best teams in the nation.

The Bulls have experienced their fair share of ups and downs over the years. The program's best period came in the early 2010s when they made three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 2010-2012. In their first appearance, the Bulls advanced to the second round before falling to Ohio State. After that run, though, South Florida struggled to maintain its success and went through several coaching changes that resulted in losing seasons in the years that followed.

In 2017, Brian Gregory took over the reins of the program, and things began to turn around. In his first season, the Bulls posted a record of 10-22, but they improved to 24-14 the following year. That season, South Florida made it to the championship game of the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) and narrowly lost to DePaul. Last season, the Bulls continued to build on their momentum, going 14-17 overall and 7-11 in conference play.

One of the keys to South Florida's success under Gregory has been the team's defense. The Bulls ranked 11th nationally in scoring defense last season, allowing just 62.5 points per game. Additionally, they led the AAC in steals per game and were third in blocks per game. This defensive prowess has allowed South Florida to stay in games and win close contests that may have gone the other way in previous years.

Another factor in the Bulls' improvement has been the emergence of talented players such as David Collins and Laquincy Rideau. Collins, a 6-foot-4 guard, has averaged over 14 points per game in each of the past two seasons while also making an impact on defense. Rideau, a 6-foot-1 guard, transferred to South Florida from Gardner-Webb before the 2018-19 season and quickly became one of the team's top players. In his first year with the program, he led the AAC in steals and was second in assists.

Looking ahead to this season, South Florida will once again face a tough schedule that includes matchups against teams like Florida State, Creighton, and Cincinnati. However, with key players returning and the momentum of the past few years on their side, the Bulls have reasons to be optimistic about their chances. If they can continue to play strong defense and get contributions from a variety of players, they could make another run at postseason success and establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in college basketball.