USF MBB Takes on Georgia Southern

Heath and company are back home as they take on Georgia Southern.

The Bulls return home after losing two games on the road to ODU and Penn State. They will now try to get back on the winning track as they take on Georgia Southern (game is at 7PM, St. Pete Times Forum).

Georgia Southern, 1-2, is the underdog in this game, but will come out fighting. The Bulls could be without big man Augustus Gilchrist (shoulder) so the front line for the Bulls will be thin. Let's see who GS brings to the court.

USF MBB Drops Game to Penn State

We feel the same way Coach.

This has been a rough weekend for USF sports. The men's basketball team dropped their second straight game as they fall 49 to 53 to Penn State. USF scored only 17 points in the first half, battling Penn State the entire game. While the loss is bad, Augustus Gilchrist injured his shoulder and missed the second half. This is the worst news to hear.

USF MBB Takes on Penn State

Victor Rudd will have to come up big against Penn State today. (Picture: www.tbo.com)

The Bulls suffered their first loss of the season as they dropped an overtime decision to ODU. USF, 3-1, now takes on Penn State as they try to get back on the winning track. Penn State got rolled over by Kentucky in their last game, so they enter the game at 3-1 as well (game starts at 2PM).

USF Notches Win Number 3 Over Florida Southern

Gilchrist led the way for the Bulls as they won easily over D2 opponent Florida Southern tonight (www.gousfbulls.com)

Another game, another venue, no sweat for the Bulls as they took care of business, beating Florida Southern 73 to 43, running their record to 3-0 to open the season. The Bulls had control of the game from the start, using their size to dominate the paint and wear down the Mocs.

USF Basketball Gets the Win Over Marist

USF is 2-0, please support this team!

The Bulls continue the strong start to the 2011-2012 season with a 81 to 67 win over Marist, moving them to 2-0 on the season (#Bullsnation needs to be trending already people).

Rush Through the Roster: Augustus Gilchrist

(Picture: www.gousfbulls.com)

The roster break down continues as we take a look at the leading returning scorer for the Bulls, senior forward Augustus Gilchrist. Gilchrist was the most consistent scorer for Heath last season despite missing some time due to some off the court issues. He nearly left for the NBA, but decided to return for his final season and adds tremendous skill and size to the paint for coach Heath.

Gilchrist Does Not Submit Name to NBA Draft

Coach Stan Heath is smiling a little bit more tonight.

From Greg Auman - Stan Heath is smiling tonight with news that junior power forward Augustus Gilchrist has not submitted his name among the 69 underclassmen who submitted their names for the NBA Draft process.

Gilchrist got an evaluation from NBA scouts and has decided he won't submit his name to the draft. This is huge news for the Bulls. Gilchrist will graduate this summer and there is an outside chance, although unlikely, that he could try to play overseas, but for now there is a big possibility that he will return to USF next season.

Gilchrist was the only Bull last season that averaged in double figures and would be a big weapon returning for the Bulls that have added some big time players in this years recruiting class. Bringing in two post players and two athletic and scoring guards, the Bulls will look to improve on their terrible 10-win season. Gilchrist will be a leader on the court and will be an experienced scoring presence for Heath, if and once he returns. He hasn't officially stated he is returning and something strange could always happen, but for now, pencil him in lightly to come back.

Grading Augustus Gilchrist

The final grading now focuses on Augustus Gilchrist (took me long enough to get this one posted). Gilchrist, the leading scorer and go-to option for the Bulls, had a solid year, but failed to reach the expectations that so many had placed on him before the season began. Many saw Gilchrist taking over the team and scoring at the level that DoJo did, but this never happened. An injury and a short exit from the program were negative parts of his season, but down the stretch in conference play, Gilchrist stepped up his game and became the leader for the team. Time to see his final grade. [keep reading]

Gilchrist, the 6'10" 245-pound forward/center, was the leading scorer for the Bulls all season long, even though he missed some time and came off the bench in some games for Coach Heath. Gilchrist averaged 13.2 points per game (shooting 44.6% from the field and 25.9% from 3-point range), 6.1 rebounds, .9 assists per game, and 2.5 turnovers per game. He hit 32 points against DePaul and consistently averaged in double digits for the Bulls all year.

On offense, Gilchrist can dominate the paint. He prefers to post up in the paint and back down a defender. He has a solid move to the basket and great size to allow him to get to the hoop easily. With his size, he can dominate an opposing forward and can slide easily to the basket. He has a solid mid-range game which can help spread the court and create issues for defenses. He is not a high percentage shooter from long range (3-pointers) but within the paint area, with his jump shot and move through the paint, Gilchrist is simply solid.

On defense, Gilchrist is a solid post defender. He has the height and length to lockdown an opposing player. He has long arms and can alter shots easily. He has decent lateral movement, but ball handlers that have higher speed and can drive past him if he is not in position. Gilchrist plays the paint well and can outrebound opponents, but doesn't have the weight to body up against opposing centers.

Gilchrist was the best player for the Bulls all season long. He was the leading scorer and made the biggest impact on the court. It is not certain if he will leave to the NBA, but USF could use him back next season because he makes things happen on offense.

Final grade: A-

More on Anthony Collins

Coach Heath landed another commitment to the class of 2012, point guard Anthony Collins. Collins (6' 175-pounds) out of Westbury Christian High School in Houston, Texas is the third commitment to Heath this year, but there is just one small problem, Heath doesn't have a scholarship to offer. [keep reading]

Questions Now Begin for Gilchrist

Will junior forward Augustus Gilchrist leave to the NBA?

The season is over and now the questions begin for the men's basketball team. One of the biggest questions will be Augustus Gilchrist. The junior forward could declare for the NBA draft and has not made an official decision.

When asked after the loss to Cincinnati if he was considering leaving early for the NBA, he simply stated that he was going to work on getting better as a player (not a real clear answer). Gilchrist could be looking at the NBA and Heath will probably help him make a decision in the very near future.

The 6'10" 245-pound forward has been the top performer all season for the Bulls. After leaving the program for a day and returning, he improved his performance once the Bulls hit conference play. He is the only player on the team averaging double figures in points and gave the Bulls a consistent threat in the paint. He plays well in the paint, has a solid move to the hoop, and has a nice jump shot (even will spot up for a 3-point shot once in awhile).

I honestly don't see Gilchrist leaving. Gilchrist has the size that the NBA would like, but there is a lot of his game that needs work. His footwork and moves in the paint are still raw and need work (he doesn't drive consistently to the basket enough). His defense is average, but he does not block out well or use his body to crash the boards either. Last season, I was sad when Dominique Jones left but knew he would leave (despite what many fans thought). This season, it is a bit harder to call, but I see Gilchrist returning for his senior season and hoping for a better year as well.

Will He Stay or Go?

Will Augustus Gilchrist return for his senior season? (Picture credits: www.gousfbulls.com)

The 2011 season roles and the Bulls continue to struggle on the court, it's time to start looking towards the future. As Stan Heath begins to look at his roster for the 2011-2012 season, one question will be soon approaching them, will Augustus Gilchrist return for his senior season or will he opt out and head to the NBA? [keep reading]

Final Thoughts on Villanova Game Tonight

The USF men take on Villanova tonight (as mentioned in the prior blog post) and the Bulls are going to face a very, very tough challenge with the Wildcats tonight.

Nova is a perimeter team, electing to shoot the ball from 3-point range and spreading the court. Fisher and company all have great range and speed, using great passing and moving the ball around to find the open man.

The Bulls are almost the complete opposite of them. The Bulls rely on their size inside and defense to try to win games. Famous, Anderson, and Gilchrist are all tall and play well in the paint. On the outside, the guard play of USF is simply bad at times. Crater is inconsistent at the point, either playing well and moving the ball, or being attacked by other guards and turning it over. Burwell is hot and cold and Poland seems to disappear at times.

The Bulls nearly beat UCONN last time out. Burwell played well and Crater played under control, but Nova is a different type of team and it goes against the strength of the Bulls. The Bulls will need a huge performance from their guards and I find it hard to see with the speed of Nova. Mix in the Bulls won't have much of a home crowd tonight (school has not started yet and the students are not fully back yet) this game could turn ugly quickly if Heath is not able to get his team going early.

I love my Bulls, but this season is starting to get ugly for us and unless there is a miracle tonight, the tough season could get a bit tougher. Final score prediction: Villanova 72 USF 60