The Bulls feel the effects of playing with just nine players on the team.
By PETE YOUNG
Published December 6, 2003
Robert McCullum watched Duke dismantle Michigan State this week using seven players. He heard an announcer say North Carolina used "just 61/2" players in its recent win over Illinois.
"Whatever a "1/2' means," McCullum said. "I guess that means they played as many as seven."
McCullum, the South Florida coach, can boast nine players in his rotation for today's game at Nebraska, which makes USF a bottomless well compared with Duke and Carolina.
Then again, that's all McCullum has at his disposal. Nine, total.
USF has been depleted by dismissal, defection and injury. Nine will make the trip to Lincoln, which is one more than had traveled Tuesday to Providence when USF got whipped 84-60.
"We could very well have less depth than most teams we play," said McCullum, who has USF off to a 3-1 start in his first season. "But I don't want to make too big a deal out of that. Most teams will have an eight-man rotation and not more than nine."
Nine might be plenty during a game, but having enough players to practice has been a problem. Guard Marlyn Bryant is rounding into form after knee surgery last season (20 points the past two games) but frequently skips practice to rest the knee.
"We have 10 guys on scholarship (but) not all 10 are healthy or present," McCullum said. "We haven't had all 10 healthy at the same time for more than a week to 10 days. That causes a number of problems. We are not challenged every day in practice and that limits the amount of improvement and the way that you can prepare."
Four walk-ons practice, and two, Brian Graham and Alton Darling, will become eligible after the first semester, but it's unlikely they can provide significant minutes. Reserve power forward Brandon Brigman (hernia) is out indefinitely, and scholarship slot Nos. 11-13 are vacant. The most notable absent scholarship belonged to promising Yusuf Baker, who was dismissed in the offseason.
Furthermore, Sam Barber's status is tenuous. The redshirt freshman forward left the team last week and missed the past two games - he watched the Nov. 29 win over Wright State from the Sun Dome stands - but rejoined the team Wednesday after talking to McCullum. He practiced Thursday and is expected to play today.
Depth aside, USF's problem has been turnovers while its strengths have been good shooting and, until last game, rebounding. USF has made nearly 40 percent of its 3-pointers, has shot between 45.6 and 47.4 percent in each game and has outrebounded opponents by nearly eight a game (39.5-31.8).
Turnovers are a major concern, which is surprising for a team with two point guards, Brian Swift and Bradley Mosley, averaging more than 30 minutes. Swift (4.75) and Mosley (4.25) combine for nine turnovers a game, and USF has had more than its opponent in every game.
Providence, which is expected to challenge for an NCAA Tournament berth, used an extended zone defense to create 19 turnovers and several long stretches of ineffectiveness.
"You can't turn the ball over that much against a quality team and expect to win," McCullum said. "They did not do as much trapping out of their 2-3 zone as they had in previous games, so we actually faced less pressure."
Nebraska (3-0) is riding high after its 66-60 home win Wednesday over Arizona State, which reached the NCAAs last season. The Cornhuskers, like the Bulls, frequently use a three-guard lineup but have more frontcourt depth. Junior forward John Turek (6 feet 9, 240 pounds) is averaging team highs of 15.3 points and 11.3 rebounds, and hometown product Jake Muhleisen averages 10.7 points. The Bulls beat the Cornhuskers last season in Tampa 65-60.
"They really get out and pressure you," said McCullum, who mentioned Nebraska's back-cut-heavy offense is reminiscent of Princeton. "They will be the most physical team that we have played. They will be much more physical than Providence. Nebraska will play all man to man and it will be very physical."
