The Sports Network
DATE & TIME: Wednesday, March 12th, 1:00 p.m. (et).
FACTS & STATS: Site: Freedom Hall (18,865) -- Louisville, Kentucky
Television: ESPN2. Home Record: S. Florida 13-2, DePaul 13-3. Away Record:
S. Florida 1-11, DePaul 3-8. Neutral Record: S. Florida 0-0, DePaul
0-0. Conference Record: S. Florida 7-9, DePaul 8-8. Series Record: DePaul
leads, 9-3.
GAME NOTES: The South Florida Bulls and the DePaul Blue Demons kick off the
first game of the Conference USA Tournament from Freedmon Hall in Louisville
today. The Bulls ended the regular season on a downward spiral as they lost
four of their last five games, including a 75-63 setback to the Texas
Christian Horned Frogs last Saturday. With the loss, USF dropped to the 10th-
seed in the conference tournament with a 7-9 mark, and finished the year 14-13
overall. As for DePaul, it defeated the Houston Cougars, 65-59 on Saturday to
close out its regular season with two straight victories. The Blue Demons were
awarded the seventh-seed in the tournament with an 8-8 conference mark and
finished the year 16-11 overall. DePaul has a 9-3 record all-time series
advantage over South Florida, but has lost three straight to the Bulls,
including the last meeting, a 70-63 defeat on January 12, 2002 at home.
South Florida is led on the season by the duo of Will McDonald and Jimmy
Baxter, both of whom contribute immensely to the squad's scoring average of
69.2 ppg on 43.5 percent shooting from the field. McDonald leads the team with
16.0 ppg and 8.3 and is knocking down 50.0 percent of his total field goal
attempts. Baxter is turning in 14.6 ppg on 44.0 percent shooting from the
floor and 4.8 rpg. In the team's last contest, South Florida was held below it
season shooting average, connecting on a dismal 37.9 percent from the floor in
a 75-63 setback to TCU. The Horned Frogs did not fare much better, hitting on
just 38.0 percent from the floor, but did force the Bulls into 19 turnovers.
South Florida was really hurt by its poor free-throw shooting, converting just
11-of-19, while TCU knocked in a respectable 22-of-30. Baxter paced the Bulls
in defeat with 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the floor. Reggie Kohn added
13 points and nine assists, while Yusuf Baker ripped down 11 boards in the
losing effort.
Sam Hoskin registered a double-double with a game-high 23 points and 12 boards
to lead DePaul to a 65-59 victory over Houston in the last weekend's regular
season finale. Hoskin finished the game 7-of-11 from the field and 9-of-11
from the charity stripe, while Quemont Greer added 17 points. The Blue Demons
decided the game at the free-throw line, where they knocked in 13-of-19
compared to only 6-of-12 for the Cougars. Houston outshot DePaul, connecting
on 46.9 percent from the field, while holding the Demons to a mere 39.0
percent. DePaul is led on the season by Hoskin, who is turning in 15.2 ppg on
54.7 percent shooting from the floor, to go with 7.2 rpg. Delonte Holland nets
10.8 ppg and is the only other player scoring double-digit points for the Blue
Demons, who are averaging 66.8 ppg on 44.0 percent shooting from the field.
South Florida has really struggled down the stretch and needs to refocus if it
has any hope of advancing in the tournament. DePaul has put together a couple
of solid wins at the end of the season and should be able to carry that
momentum over in defeating the Bulls today.