The University of South Florida cruises past the University of Texas at San Antonio Roadrunners 109-88 at the Yuengling Center. USF advances to 15-8 on the season and 7-3 in conference play. 

Freshman guard Gavin Hightower lifted the Bulls to victory coming off the bench with 21 points, three assists and two rebounds. Hightower was perfect from the floor, shooting 8-8. Before this game, Hightower only played 10 minutes across eight games. 

“I just go out there, I just know I got to do what I got to do to stay on the court and just be ready when my number is called,” Hightower said. 

Senior forward Izaiyah Nelson led the team in points with 25 and came down with five rebounds, with four of them being offensive rebounds. The Bulls finished with 27 second-chance points and 60 points in the paint.  

Senior guard Joseph Pinion finished with a double-double putting up 13 points and 10 assists. 

In the first half, USF was in a back-and-forth battle with the Roadrunners.  UTSA’s firepower came from junior guard Brent Moss and graduate guard Jamir Simpson. 

Moss lit up the floor with 23 points, shooting 5-5 from deep and Moss had 14 points to hold the Bulls to a two-point deficit at halftime.  

“So when you got a good player, and he gets to watch his first one go in. Sometimes you’re going to be in for a long night and we were tonight with him (Moss),” Hodgson said. 

The Bulls flipped the switch, shooting 69% from the field in the second half, improving from 44% in the first. USF also scored 26 points off 13 forced turnovers.

Next up, South Florida hosts Tulsa on Sunday, Feb. 8, at 12:00 for Salute to Service at the Yuengling.