TAMPA, Fla. – As difficult as it has been and will continue to be in dealing with the death of their beloved coach, one thing was not so difficult for the USF men’s basketball team following the passing of Amir Abdur-Rahim: growing close.
“Definitely being able to lean on each other during hard times and good times throughout the season,” said redshirt junior guard and Tampa Catholic product Kobe Knox, who is averaging 10.7 points to place third on the Bulls. “Having your brother right next to you. We have good on-the-court and off-the-court relationships and we want to be able show that, going into the tournament, we are the most connected team in the tournament.”
READ: The USF Bulls’ 2025 Football Schedule Includes Consecutive Trips To Gainesville And Miami
Reid and the No. 9 seed Bulls (13-18/6-12 AAC) will open the American Conference tourney against No. 8 seed Wichita State (18-13/8-10) on Thursday afternoon (12:30, ESPNU) in Fort Worth.
The Bulls split with the Shockers in the regular season, winning in Wichita (91-72) in January and losing at home (75-70) in February. The defeat was the first in an eight-game stretch in which Ben Fletcher’s team went 1-7 to close the regular season. Meanwhile, it was the second victory in a win streak that would grow to six for the Shockers.
Alas, all of the above goes out the window. It comes down to one game and one game only to prolong the 2024-25 season for at least another day.
READ: New College Of Florida Making Major Strides In Elevating Student-Athlete Experience
“We need to trust our preparation and the work we have put in all season,” said sophomore guard Jayden Reid, whose 1.83 steals per game are second in the conference and his 12.5 points are second on the Bulls to Jamille Reynolds’ 12.8. “If we fall back on what we have been working on all season, the work that we put in and listening to the coaches, I think we will be in position to get that first win.”
The Bulls need to win the tourney in order to play on. Winning it all in Fort Worth would mean an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. It would also mean winning four games in as many days, including against top seed and No. 16/17 Memphis on Friday. There is so talk among the Bulls, nor should there be. Instead, prep for Wichita State and take it from there.
READ: USF Coach Alex Golesh Uses Transfer Portal For Specific Needs While Upholding Program’s Standards
“This time of year, I think people get so fixated on the tournament that you forget about the small things it takes to get there,” said Fletcher. “The more you get blindsided by worrying about the tournament, you put pressure on that doesn’t need to be there. You need to have a laser-like focus on the details of the scout (team) getting ready for Wichita State. That’s where we are right now.”
That is the only place the Bulls can afford to be.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
