Usf Basketball in Birmingham Leaves Charlotte Facing Steep AAC Tournament Test

usf basketball returns to the floor Saturday afternoon in Birmingham, Alabama, with the South Florida Bulls set to play the Charlotte 49ers in the AAC Tournament. Tipoff is scheduled for 3: 00 pm ET, with South Florida entering as a sizable betting favorite.

Matchup Set for South Florida vs. Charlotte in the AAC Tournament

The AAC Tournament game pairs Charlotte (17-16, 11-9 AAC) against South Florida (23-8, 15-3 AAC) at a neutral-site setting in Birmingham. The betting line lists the Bulls as 14. 5-point favorites, with an over/under of 153. 5.

Saturday’s matchup marks the second meeting between the teams this season. In the previous game on March 8, South Florida won 83-60. Joseph Pinion led the Bulls with 22 points in that contest, while Anton Bonke paced Charlotte with 13.

Usf Basketball’s Efficiency and Conference Form Stand Out

South Florida’s conference record has been a defining feature of its season, going 15-3 against AAC opponents. In non-conference play, the Bulls are 8-5.

Statistically, South Florida leads the AAC in scoring at 88. 4 points per game and is shooting 44. 0% from the field. That shooting figure is narrowly below the 44. 3% field-goal percentage Charlotte allows to opponents, setting up a matchup where execution and shot quality could be central.

Over the last 10 games, South Florida is 9-1, averaging 84. 7 points per game while shooting 43. 9% from the field. Across that span, the Bulls’ opponents have averaged 71. 3 points per game.

Charlotte’s Recent Run and Key Producers Enter a Tough Draw

Charlotte comes in with an 11-9 record in AAC play and has gone 4-6 over its last 10 games, averaging 72. 2 points per contest. The 49ers are shooting 45. 6% from the field over that stretch, but their opponents have averaged 75. 7 points.

One notable team marker for Charlotte has been its performance in more lopsided results: the 49ers have an 8-6 record in games decided by 10 or more points.

Individually, Ben Bradford is averaging 13. 5 points for Charlotte, and Dezayne Mingo is averaging 12. 9 points over the last 10 games. For South Florida, Izaiyah Nelson is averaging 15. 8 points, 9. 8 rebounds and 1. 6 steals, while Wes Enis is averaging 19. 3 points over the last 10 games.

The matchup also features a contrast in defensive profiles. Charlotte is shooting 45. 9% from the field this season, while opponents of South Florida have averaged 41. 7% shooting. As usf basketball and Charlotte meet again in tournament play, those season-long trends will be tested in a single-game setting.