TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The University of South Florida’s men’s basketball team has now won 12 straight games, most recently defeating The University of Texas at San Antonio 66-62 Thursday night on the road.
The Bulls continue to hold their spot atop the American Athletic Conference standings at (13-1). With their success has come a lot of buzz among the students.
“You can tell around campus, and everything — just a whole different vibe,” USF student Juan Soto said. “The team is playing great, so it’s been awesome.”
“The feeling is great,” USF student Lennox Somuah Adjei said. “I’m at an amazing school. I walk everywhere, and it’s like I just feel that my spirit is uplifted.”
“It’s really fun to go watch the games and see us like win all the time,” USF junior McKenzie Fox said.
The home games have drawn a huge crowd — especially this past Sunday with their win over No. 24 FAU.
“It was packed,” Soto said. “It was loud. I’ve never seen it as packed and as loud before. It was such a great energy. It felt like a playoff game.”
“The most recent game was just awesome, seeing all the posts about it, and everyone was just super excited about it,” USF junior Larissa Signore said.
For students who have been at USF for a few years, it’s been neat for them to see the boost in enthusiasm around the program.
“Since we’re actually doing good this year, a whole bunch more people have started coming to the games,” USF student Dorian Ntiganzwa said. “It’s such a great environment at the games now.”
“I have never felt so much energy,” USF senior Kayla Harrington said. “It feels like we are coming back like as a unity again, and being able to bond over that as a campus and as student life has been amazing.”
Not only has this team endeared itself to the Bulls faithful, but so has new head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim.
“It’s all thanks to coach Amir,” Ntiganzwa said. “Without him, we wouldn’t be in the place we are right now.”
“Whenever we go to the games, whenever the games (are) done and everything, he’ll come around to the crowd and say, ‘Hi.’” Harrington said. “I’ve always wanted to come up and speak to him and just say thank you for bringing back that energy. It’s been amazing being able to see him and just be that lively with not only us but his team as well.”
The Bulls’ next game is Sunday at home when they host Southern Methodist University. They have four games left in the regular season before the AAC Tournament, which begins March 13.