So close ... Marquette pulls away from USF

Again, USF found itself neck and neck with a top-tier Big East team for about 35 minutes or so, only to see its opponent pull away down the stretch. On Wednesday, the Bulls were tied 42-42 with Marquette in the Bradley Center with 5:10 to play, but stars Kentrell Gransberry and Dominique Jones fouled out and the Golden Eagles got three late 3-pointers from Wesley Matthews, escaping with a 62-54 win.

USF remains winless on the road in three seasons of Big East play, while Marquette keeps its perfect home record intact, improving to 12-0 this season. Gransberry and Jones both played late with four fouls, with Gransberry fouling out with 4:06 to play and Jones with 2:03 remaining. They each scored 15 points to lead the Bulls, with Gransberry also getting 15 rebounds. No other players scored more than seven points, though starting guard Jesus Verdejo did not play due to a back injury.

The Bulls (10-11, 1-7) have a good chance to end their seven-game losing streak on Saturday, when they face St. John's in the Sun Dome. The two teams entered Wednesday's play tied for last place in the Big East standings, with the loss giving USF the bottom to itself.

Comments

[Ari Hinkelberger]

We suck.

I have season tickets and it isn't even enjoyable watching them.

I just can't take watching boozemen throw the ball in the 23rd row again.

Its just awful to watch... Gransberry shooting 35% from the free throw line.

what a joke.

[Mike Lakeland]

I actually enjoyed last night's game. We had it until the end, unlike our other games. I especially liked how we stuck with them, when we're usually so bad on the road. I was actually beginning to believe that we could win!!!

If we could only shoot FT's better...that would solve at least half of all of our problems. KG is still the man!

[Reality]

Good news bulls fans, the bulls will be 8-2 down the stretch and get to Ari's 9-9............

So many of you sounded like Bucs fans circa 1985.......

but rest easy bucs of the late 90's are possible....

[RR]

We all thought it was great news that the Big East is allowing automatic bids for all 16 teams to the conference tournament next season.

If this continues, the Big East will invite an independent like Navy to the conference tournament in our place.

[RR]

Nevermind...Navy is in the Patriot league.

Who knows...they may still receive an invite to take our place.

[The Champ]

Wow I guess people don't have sound on their TVs anymore.If they did they would hear in every game USF plays the National announcers say that USF doesn't have much BE talent, they would hear them say that USF is at a huge disadvantage with their athletic department compared to other BE schools, they would hear them say that it will be at least 3 years, that's 3 years before Heath can turn around Bulls basketball.

I watch and listen to every Bulls game and I hear the samething everytime.Basketball experts know the situation Heath is in and the big up hill battle he has ahead of him.

If anybody wants to be mad about the shape of Bulls basketball then they need to look at AD Doug Woolard since it is his responsiblity to provide all his coaches with the tools they need to work with.Being an AD means more then just hiring and firing coaches.Woolard needs to get off his butt and hit the road recruiting former students, boosters, and advertisers to help fund the much needed upgrades for Bulls basketball.My GOD can the team at least fly charter for every road game.

[Mike]

Watching last night I was surprised by how many open 3's were passed up by the team in the 2nd half. The team definately needs to get better players. Living in Wisconsin I know Marquette is always in the running for the top players from the state and also Chicago. Having said that the facilities at Marquette are not near the level at Madison so it is more than just facilties.

I liked the effort of the club but not enough plyers when Jones and K went out. Hopefully they will play with the same intensity in the upcoming games. Bottom line you can't make chicken salad out of chicken sh#$.

[Herman Momart]

I agree with Mike, facilities dontm mean much unless you are at UNC or Oregon. Its like picking a gym because one has a rock climbing wall and one doesnt, who cares? Ive been to St. Johns and their facilites are terrible and they are bad because of scandals not facilities, they used to be a conferene powerhouse.

USFs problem is the current players. Its not about X'a and O's its about Jimmys and Joes and ours arent good. If we didnt have KG we would be horrendous. Give Stan another 2 years and he will be doing what he does best, recruiting. Personally I dont care if some kid stole a laptop or spray painted a wall in high school, if they can shoot the rock bring'em in. Im tired of being a doormat in the best collegiate sport in the world.

About the Bulls, I have never seen a team, besides my 6th grade PAL team put up so many bad shots. I honesly think I am better basketball player and fit for USF than Solomon Bozeman. I saw him and everyone throw up shots where I would be embarasses to throw up in a pickup game outside the sundome on campus. When KG leaves time to flush this team. We need D. Jones to be our 3rd or 4th option to compete in the Big East.

If I were Heath I would go right to inner city NYC, DC, Chicago and Philly and sell the crap out of Sunny Florida and a vision of being his own termed "Sleeping Giants".

[Stephen]

Champ, maybe you missed it, but USF is one of the largest schools in the country, plays in a 12,000 arena and plays in one of the largest media markets in the country. How long has USF been in the big east? It is very sad that usf can't seem to even compete in the big east.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Florida State can't really compete either, and their facilities are really nice.

Florida is just a tough place to build a basketball program.

Miami sucks.. Florirda State hasn't made the tourny in a long long time.. so its not just USF.

Seth Greenberg is right when he says "kids just don't grow up wanting to pay basketball at South Florida."

I hope Stan can turn it around. I am starting to get to the point where I just don't know if it is possible to build a winner.

I think building a basketball team in Florida is like building a football team in Rhode Island. Its just really really tough.

We need this Brumbaugh kid to sign with USF. I think at this point, that is our only real hope of being half decent next year.

Reality,... spare me the guy is a "thug."

I don't care.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

And if you look at Billy Donovan and how he built that program up -- he did it with kids like Matt Boner.. He did it with that kid from North Dakota. He did it with Joakim Noah. He did it with Lee Humphrey.

Every single year he had top players from outside the state of Florida. YEah he would have one or two kids in the starting five from Fla.. but his go to guy was never from the Sunshine state. He recruited nationwide. The key to SOuth Florida turning it around is the ability to get players north of I-10.

The guy that will lead this program to 22-10 is not in Lake Wales or Pompano Beach.

He is in Rock Island, NY or S.E. Washignton DC.

[Bill]

Melo, Durant and others from PG County MD. One player is sometimes all you need. DC Baltimore areas are good places to go.
Start with a good point guard.

[Astro]

Bill, I think he have the PG in the Mercer kid from Georgia. He is a stud.

[G.A.]

Ari, I think it's Bonner ...

[Ari Hinkelberger]

We use to call him Boner on the way to the locker room in 2002.

But you know what I mean.

[The Champ]

Stephen I'm very aware of the size of USF and that is why I say among those 44,000 students every year surely some of them have made it big using a USF education.In order for the Bulls to have a successful program it is not only going to take the coaches but also the alamni.We fans have to do our part but the rich people have to donate to their University.

Now I have been noticing that some good players other then Brumbaugh are looking at the Bulls now.Heath and his coaches are really working hard to try and land major D-1 players which it takes to compete and win in a power conference.

Two things Heath can tell any recruit, you will start in your first year and you will do it in the Big East where just about every game is on TV.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

I have some analysis.

Other then Jones, We don't have a single guard that should be playing in the Big East.

Other then Gransberry, we don't have a single guy over 6-4 that should be playing in the Big East.

Honestly, I think we are a middle of the pack C-USA team.

[Mike]

I think we would be one of the better CUSA teams. UAB is 3rd right now and we took care of them. Based on Sagarin ratings we are the #12 team in the Big East so maybe we can still make a move and finish in the top 12.

[Ken]

For all our troubles this year, I still think this may be the best team USF has ever had--it's just that the level of competition has gotten so much better over the years. We will get there.

Hard to look at the Sagarin ratings and not think there's some weakness in the method if we're number 12 with only 1 win.

[Sanjay]

Ken, best team we ever had? The Radenko Dobras teams were better both years we made the tournament. Heck, the Chucky Atkins teams may have been better. Having said that, coach Heath inherited a mess and needs time and support to move this forward.