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Big East Tournament 2012: USF Basketball Preview

By Jared Smith

The Big East Conference Tournament 2012 tips off Tuesday afternoon at Madison Square Garden, and this SB Nation New York StoryStream is the place to come for every tidbit of information. For a full schedule with results and updates of the bracket, click here.

Ever since joining the Big East Conference during the 2005-06 season, the South Florida Bulls men's basketball program has been among one of the cellar dwellers in the standings.

This season, however, has been completely different, as the Bulls (19-12, 12-6 Big East) compiled a school record 12 Big East victories and with a victory over the Louisville Cardinals, 58-51, Wednesday night, and with a few more wins are more than likely on their way to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since '92.

Head Coach: Stan Heath, fifth year

After leading Arkansas Razorbacks to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances from '05-07, Heath took the job in Tampa Bay. It has been a long, unsuccessful four seasons at USF, but finally Heath has a team that contends nightly in one of the best college hoops conference in the nation.

Team MVP: Anthony Collins, freshman guard

Senior forward Augustus Gilchrist entered the season as the Bulls' go-to guy, and, though, he's still USF's No. 1 option it's Collins, who was named to the All-Big East Rookie Team, that turned this squad from a bottom feeder to a postseason threat.

The Bulls' floor general's numbers (7.8 points per game) might not be impressive, but his ability to distribute (5.4 assists per game) is what has made USF so successful this year.

Playing For: NCAA Tournament at-large berth

Though, the Bulls are almost a lock to make the 68-team, NCAA Tournament field its no guarantee. However, it will be if USF can just sneak out a victory or two, which might help them avoid a first-round contest in Dayton, OH.

Breakdown: Its impressive what USF has accomplished this season, and it will not be a surprise if the Bulls earn a victory or possible two. However, this team just doesn't have the overall talent to contend for a Big East Tournament crown.

Big East Tournament Seed: No. 6, will played Tuesday's winner of No. 14 Villanova Wildcats and No. 11 Rutgers Scalret Knights.

Rosters and stats:

FG 3PT FT Rebounds Misc
G M M A Pct M A Pct M A Pct Off Def Tot Ast TO Stl Blk PF PPG
Augustus Gilchrist 28 27.9 3.6 9.0 39.7 0.2 0.8 27.3 2.5 3.5 70.7 1.9 2.9 4.8 0.5 1.7 0.5 1.3 2.4 9.9
Jawanza Poland 20 23.4 3.3 7.6 43.7 0.9 3.2 27.0 1.4 1.9 75.7 0.8 2.9 3.6 0.9 1.9 0.8 0.6 2.0 8.9
Victor Rudd 31 26.8 2.8 7.9 35.4 1.1 3.8 27.7 1.7 2.3 73.2 0.9 3.6 4.5 1.4 1.8 0.6 0.2 1.5 8.4
Toarlyn Fitzpatrick 30 25.5 3.1 6.9 44.7 1.2 2.9 41.4 0.9 1.3 65.0 1.5 5.1 6.6 0.9 1.4 0.7 1.0 2.1 8.3
Anthony Collins 26 32.1 2.8 5.8 49.3 0.2 0.7 27.8 2.1 2.4 85.7 0.2 1.8 1.9 5.3 3.4 1.6 0.2 2.3 8.0
Ron Anderson Jr. 31 26.2 2.9 5.2 55.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.7 3.4 49.5 2.4 3.2 5.6 1.2 1.6 0.5 0.6 2.9 7.5
Hugh Robertson 31 28.4 2.9 5.5 52.3 0.2 0.9 21.4 0.7 1.0 70.0 1.4 3.1 4.5 1.3 1.1 0.7 0.4 1.3 6.7
Blake Nash 29 13.4 1.2 3.1 39.3 0.6 2.0 27.6 1.0 1.2 82.4 0.1 0.8 0.9 1.1 1.0 0.6 0.0 1.3 3.9
Shaun Noriega 25 12.4 0.9 2.7 34.3 0.8 2.2 37.0 1.0 1.1 85.7 0.0 0.5 0.6 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.0 0.8 3.6
LaVonte Dority 9 15.1 0.9 2.8 32.0 0.6 1.2 45.5 0.7 0.7 100.0 0.4 0.7 1.1 1.8 0.8 0.2 0.0 1.1 3.0
Alberto Damour 6 2.2 0.5 0.8 60.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.3 50.0 0.3 0.2 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 1.2
Mike McCloskey 4 1.0 0.3 0.3 100.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.5

For a SB Nation New York preview of other Big East schools, click on its respective links: Syracuse, Marquette, Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Georgetown, South Florida, Louisville, West Virginia, Connecticut, Seton Hall, Rutgers, St. John's, Pittsburgh, Villanova, Providence, DePaul.

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