By Kenneth Cross
Check my Bulls-49ers column on Lindy’s Sports as it is more intensive and shows all of my columns, in general.
TAMPA – The Charlotte 49ers were in total control of the South Florida Bulls’ 72-69 win in an AAC battle for first place at Yuengling Center in Tampa on Tuesday evening. So much so that the Niners led for 39:04 in the game. They had built a paltry double-digit lead in leading 40-23 in the first half and when Igor Milicic scored on a layup with 11:41 to play, the 49ers maintained a 63-48 seemingly insurmountable lead.
The Bulls have developed a reputation of never being out of any game as they have built a 9-1 record in the AAC and 16-5, overall. This characterization involved a defense that capitalized in defending Charlotte’s shots and turning defense into offense that allowed South Florida to grab it’s first lead with inside 30 seconds to play.
South Florida hit an 11-0 run over 4:50 as the Bulls took the 49ers’ lead to 63-59 when Chris Youngblood hit a jumper to cap the run with 6:51 remaining. In that stretch, Charlotte was 0/2 from the floor and turned the ball over three times which equated to six Bulls’ points.
USF held Charlotte scoreless from the floor over the last 5:07 after Igor Milicic hit a three on the fastbreak to give the 49ers a 68-61 lead.
While Charlotte was 0-for-6 with three turnovers during that period, the Bulls used an 11-1 run to end the game and break one of the first place ties in the AAC. Guard Brandon Stroud missed a pair of free throws with 48 seconds remaining and the 49ers still holding the lead at 69-68. After a USF rebound, he then made a layup with 29 seconds remaining which gave USF it’s first lead of the night at 70-69.
South Florida guard Selton Miguel led all scorers with 22 points and he made 13-of-14 free throws and hit a pair from the line to end the game. Miguel even scored six points in the earlier 11 -0 run.
“Any player we recruit, he’s what I want,” said Bulls coach Amir Abdul-Rahim. “He’s got ability, can really play the game, understands how to play the game. Anything you ask him to do, he does.”