What a dominant first half by the South Florida Bulls in their NCAA Tournament first-round game against the California Golden Bears. At halftime, the Bulls are well on their way to their first-ever Tournament win, as they lead Cal 36-13.
USF shot 67% in the first half. Anthony Collins is the leading scorer at the half with 10 points on 5-for-6 shooting, making as many field goals in the first half as the entire California team. Augustus Gilchrist, who struggled late in the season against physical Big East defenses, picked up eight points as he was able to maneuver in the paint. Victor Rudd added seven points, and leads USF with four rebounds.
On the other end of the floor, California shot just 20% from the field (5-for-25). Harper Kamp has seven of Cal's 13 points, but they were all early in the game when he was able to get decent post position on the offensive block. USF held the Bears scoreless for the last nine minutes of the half, while the Bulls were able to extend their large early lead.
California needs to make a dent in this 23-point deficit quickly, because with USF's slow pace, there may not be enough possessions for the Bears to get back in the game otherwise.
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