Looking for an upset that would almost certainly secure a spot in the NCAA tournament, the South Florida Bulls jumped out to a quick 14-point lead over No. 3 seeded Notre Dame in the first ten minutes of their quarterfinal matchup. But the Irish, led by Scott Martin, would storm back over the final ten minutes of the first half to take a 28-26 lead into the locker room at Madison Square Garden.
The Bulls were led by guard Anthony Collins, who has a game-high 11 points. Collins is five of six from the floor, and was able to get penetration early, pacing the Bulls to their double-digit lead. The freshman from Houston averaged about eight points per game, but has had a breakout tournament so far in Manhattan. He scored 17 against Villanova last night and was the star of the first half for Stan Heath's club.
USF will look for some help from their upperclassmen to keep up with Notre Dame and advance through to the semifinals.
For more news, analysis, and discussion of the Bulls' run to March Madness, check outVoodoo Five, SB Nation's USF blog. For all your Big East news during championship week, check out Big East Coast Bias. Click here for more on the 2012 Big East Tournament.