Saturday, March 1st, 7:30 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Louis Brown Athletic Center (8,500) -- Piscataway, New Jersey. Television: None. Home Record: USF 7-7, Rutgers 8-9. Away Record: USF 2-9, Rutgers 2-10. Neutral Record: USF 2-1, Rutgers 0-0. Conference Record: USF 2-13, Rutgers 2-14. Series Record: Rutgers leads, 4-2.

GAME NOTES: A couple of programs at the very bottom of the Big East standings clash at the Louis Brown Athletic Center tonight, as the South Florida Bulls tangle with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The Bulls enter the contest off another close loss, as they were nipped, 79-75, by Seton Hall on Tuesday. It was the third straight setback by four points or fewer for USF, which dropped to 11-17 overall. The loss also put the team at 2-13 in conference play, leaving it just ahead of the Knights, who own the league's worst mark at 2-14. Speaking of Rutgers, it has dropped eight straight games since upsetting a pair of Top 25 teams in a row back in late January. The most recent of the team's setbacks came on Tuesday, a 79-61 defeat to nationally-ranked Connecticut. With the outcome, the Knights dipped to 10-19 overall and 8-9 at home. Rutgers leads the all-time series with USF, 4-2, but the Bulls won the first meeting this year, 68-45 in Tampa.

The Bulls are guided by the trio of Kentrell Gransberry, Dominique Jones and Jesus Verdejo, whom are the primary contributes to the team's 70.0 ppg average. Gransberry leads the team in scoring and the conference in rebounding and he is one of the few players in the league averaging a double-double, with 16.7 ppg and 11.0 ppg. Jones nips at his heels with 16.6 ppg and he is grabbing 4.5 rpg, while Verdejo chips in with 10.6 ppg. In the team's last game, Jones poured in 31 points and snared seven caroms, but it wasn't enough in a loss to Seton Hall. Gransberry posted 15 points and six boards, and Verdejo finished with 11 points and seven assists. Both teams shot over 50.0 percent from the floor, but Seton Hall made six three-pointers compared to just three by USF.

The Knights have struggled at the offensive end of the court this season, netting a mere 62.5 ppg and shooting only 30.0 percent from the field. J.R. Inman tops the roster in scoring (12.6 ppg) as well as rebounding (7.1 rpg), and Corey Chandler is a close second at 12.1 ppg. Anthony Farmer rounds out the double-digit scorers with 10.1 ppg and he is shooting 40.8 percent from downtown. In the squad's prior outing, Rutgers was dominated on the boards, 41-24, and outscored at the foul line, 15-3, in a loss to UConn. The Knights did mange to knock down 8-of-16 three-pointers, but that wasn't enough. Earl Pettis guided the team in defeat with 18 points and three assists.

Neither team has had much success, but this is a good chance for one program to pull itself out of the cellar of the Big East standings. USF seems to have a few more talented players and that should help it sweep the season series from Rutgers tonight.

Predicted Outcome

South Florida 69, Rutgers 66