TAMPA, Fla. — The University of South Florida men’s basketball team is doing something that hasn’t been done in more than three decades.
The Bulls are riding a seven-game American Athletic Conference winning streak for a 15-5 overall record. That’s their best start since the 1990-91 season.
“I wasn’t really focused on how quickly it would come together,” USF guard Chris Youngblood said. “I was taking it day by day, just building a culture. When you do that, just taking it day by day, put one foot in front of another, that’s usually how it works out.”
Youngblood came to USF from Kennesaw State University, following in the footsteps of first-year head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim.
The coach has made a point to get out in the community. On Monday morning, he paid for coffee at a local Starbucks for everyone who stopped by. He said there is a noticeable buzz on campus for his team.
“I see a lot more tweets after games now, a lot more ats on Instagram,” Abdur-Rahim said. “You start hearing people talk about our players. They talk about the team, but they start talking about their favorite players now.”
With 15 wins so far, USF has already surpassed last year’s win total of 14.
“I wasn’t hired to win more games than last year,” Abdur-Rahim said. “We were hired to build a program, rejuvenate a program and have a program that consistently wins.”
The Bulls are in a first-place tie in the AAC with Charlotte, who they play on Tuesday at 9 p.m.
“It’s definitely been special,” USF forward Selton Miguel said. “Not just because we are winning. It’s because of the group of guys. I get to do it every day. I got a special coach, man.”
