As the Bulls continue their impressive play in league play, going 7-4 so far, a lot of the success has to be given to the defense. The Bulls defense allows just 59 points per game, second lowest in the league. Last night, they held the high scoring Pitt offense to just 51 points, nearly 20 points lower than their season average. A big reason for the success and tenacity on defense is due to the play of senior guard Hugh Robertson.
The 6-6 200-pound senior out of Macon, Georgia is having a great season so far, even though he doesn't get the same hype as does Gilchrist or Collins.
Robertson is averaging 6.6 points per game (had a season high 18-points last night to lead USF) while shooting an impressive 54% from the floor and pulls down 4.6 rebounds per game. He has 33 assists on the season, 2nd on the team with 20 steals, and has 9 blocked shots.
While the offensive numbers are solid for Hugh, the real story behind Hugh is his relentless defense. Coach Heath constantly matches Hugh against the top scorer of the opposing team, like he did with Ashton Gibbs, preseason player of the year in the league. Robertson uses his incredible length and athletic ability to stay in front of defenders and puts a body on them when they drive to the basket, forcing them to pass or turn the ball over.
USF is not a team that can score at will and won't blow too many people out. They prefer to control the clock, play solid defense, and make high percentage shots. With Hugh, they are able to get consistent scoring and unreal defense on the top performers in the Big East, giving the Bulls a chance in each game.
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