South Florida vs. Florida Expert Pick and Prediction – November 4, 2024

SOUTH FLORIDA VS. FLORIDA EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTION – November 4, 2024 — This was supposed to be an intriguing basketball game between a pair of up-and-coming squads with bright young coaches.

Instead, nobody really knows what the emotions will be like for this season opener.

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The shocking death of South Florida coach Amir Abdur-Rahim has cast a heavy pall over this battle in Jacksonville. For the Bulls, the job now falls to first-time coach Ben Fletcher, who faces the unenviable task of trying to build on what Abdur-Rahim started. The good news for South Florida is that Abdur-Rahim clearly had things going in the right direction, and his assistant coaches return intact outside of Fletcher moving into his spot.

The bad news is that the Bulls lost three top scorers from last year, and they’ve now had to reload in several areas. And that’s not a great recipe for facing a Florida squad with a good backcourt and a crowd that’s likely going to be pro-Gator. Throw in the off-court issues, and it’s likely to be a difficult night for USF.

The Odds

Kickoff

When: Monday, November 4 at 8:30 p.m.

Where: VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, Fla.

TV: SEC Network

Public Bets: Unavailable

Public Money: Unavailable

South Florida vs. Florida In-Season Trends

Last year, USF played a lot of tight games. At one point, the Bulls ripped off a nine-game winning streak where six of the nine wins came by six points or less. The Bulls have a different roster makeup this year, but the coaching staff is used to being in tight games.

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Defense was purely optional for Florida a season ago. The Gators’ final seven opponents all got above 80 points, and it’s likely that Florida’s going to keep up its fast pace. As long as Florida pushes the tempo, you can expect a high amount of offense when the Gators take the floor.

The Difference-Makers

Walter Clayton was the main engine that fueled Florida last year. With him and Will Richard back on the floor, the Gators have one of the best returning backcourts in the SEC. And given how fast Florida likes to play, having experience back there should make a huge difference.

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There’s not a lot to really count on from the USF perspective. Kobe Knox is the top returner, and while there’s talent in the frontcourt, it’s raw and unproven at this level. And given that the frontcourt is Florida’s weakness, that’s a bad matchup for the Bulls.

The Pick

The wild card here is where USF’s heads are at following Abdur-Rahim’s passing. Sometimes, a team comes out in this situation and plays the games of their lives, giving an incredible effort from start to finish and pulling a huge upset. Sometimes, they’re overwhelmed by the moment and lost in their own emotions.

For me, the bigger concern is getting lost in Florida’s backcourt. The Gators have the speed and the tempo to make life tough on the Bulls, and the changes in personnel should be too much for USF to overcome. This looks like a tough spot for South Florida.