Temple @ South Florida preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 12, 2019 ) South Florida 80, Temple 82

With just over a month remaining until Selection Sunday, Temple knows that it has little margin for error if it hopes to reach the NCAA Tournament. The Owls continue their American Athletic Conference schedule Saturday when they pay a visit to South Florida.

“Every game is a championship game. We are trying to make the Tournament,” Temple guard Shizz Alston Jr. said after the team's last game - an eight-point win over SMU. Alston, the team's leading scorer, registered 28 points in that contest and made multiple 3-pointers for the 16th time in his last 17 games. Now the Owls must contend with a Bulls team that nearly won in Philadelphia last month before ultimately dropping an 82-80 decision in overtime. LaQuincy Rideau had a triple-double (points, assists, steals) for USF that night but scuffled to the tune of 3-of-17 shooting in a loss at Central Florida last time out.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT TEMPLE (18-7, 8-4 American): The Owls, as usual, got the bulk of their scoring from Alston, Quinton Rose and Nate Pierre-Louis in their win over SMU, as the trio combined for 59 of the team's 82 points. Other players contributed in different ways as Ernest Aflakpui grabbed 10 rebounds, J.P. Moorman II had a career-high seven assists with nine boards, and Alani Moore pitched in four assists and two steals off the bench. As part of his 28-point effort, Alston was 5-of-5 from the foul line to raise his season mark to a sparkling 103-of-112.

ABOUT USF (17-7, 7-5): The Bulls are led offensively by David Collins (15.4 points), who enters this contest with four straight 20-point efforts while shooting nearly 57 percent from the floor over that stretch. Alexis Yetna is just shy of averaging a double-double on the season (12.5 points, 9.9 rebounds) and he also shoots a crisp 44.1 percent from the 3-point line. Justin Brown (8.4 points) has knocked down a team-leading 45 3-pointers, including nearly 60 percent of his long-range attempts over the last five outings.

TIP-INS

1. Rideau notched 18 points, 10 assists and 10 steals against Temple last month - just the sixth points-assists-steals triple-double in Division I over the last 20 seasons.

2. Rose has made multiple 3-pointers in seven straight games after accomplishing that only three times in the Owls' first 18 contests.

3. Temple only has 55 blocks in 25 games, and F De'Vondre Perry recently became the first Owls player to reach double-figure blocks on the season.

PREDICTION: USF 64, Temple 60