TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — South Florida used a decisive second-half surge to pull away from Texas-San Antonio for a 109-88 victory in an American Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at the Sun Dome. The Bulls, now 15-8, turned a narrow 48-50 halftime deficit into a runaway by outscoring the Roadrunners 61-38 after intermission. South Florida dominated inside, scoring 60 points in the paint and converting 26 points off 13 UTSA turnovers. Izaiyah Nelson led South Florida with 25 points, while Gavin Hightower added 21 off the bench. Brent Moss scored a game-high 32 points for UTSA, which fell to 4-18.

TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — In a game defined by offensive firepower and a decisive second-half surge, the South Florida Bulls overpowered the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners 109-88 in an American Athletic Conference men’s basketball matchup Wednesday night at the Sun Dome. Despite a spectacular 32-point performance from Texas-San Antonio’s Brent Moss, the Bulls used superior depth, relentless interior scoring, and a dominant transition game to pull away after halftime before an announced crowd of 3,371. The first half was a tightly contested shootout. Moss, a 6-foot-6 sophomore from Lima, Ohio, was nearly unstoppable, scoring 20 points before the break on 6-of-9 shooting, including four 3-pointers. His backcourt mate, Jamir Simpson, also from Lima, added 15 first-half points. The Roadrunners shot a blistering 12 of 21 from beyond the arc in the opening period and took a narrow 50-48 lead into the locker room. The game’s most important shift came immediately after halftime. South Florida emerged with renewed defensive intensity, forcing a series of quick Texas-San Antonio turnovers. The Bulls opened the second half on a devastating 22-5 run over the first six minutes, transforming their two-point deficit into a 70-55 command. The run was fueled by stifling defense that generated easy baskets; South Florida scored 26 points off 13 Roadrunner turnovers for the game, with 18 of those coming in the second half. Texas-San Antonio, which entered the game with a 4-17 record, had no answer for the onslaught. The Bulls’ offensive balance overwhelmed the Roadrunners. Izaiyah Nelson, a 6-foot-10 forward from Marietta, Georgia, dominated the paint with 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting. Guard Gavin Hightower provided a massive spark off the bench, scoring all 21 of his points in the second half on 8-of-10 shooting from the field. Veteran guard Joseph Pinion orchestrated the offense with a double-double of 13 points and 10 assists. While Moss finished with 32 points and Simpson contributed 24 for the Roadrunners, their efforts were undermined by the team’s overall inefficiency in ball movement and defense. Texas-San Antonio managed only two assists as a team, compared to eight for South Florida, and was outscored 60-28 in the paint. The Bulls also crushed the Roadrunners on the glass, securing 17 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points. South Florida’s offensive execution was historically efficient. The Bulls scored 109 points on just 73 possessions, an offensive rating of 149.5, and shot 55.4% from the field. Their 61-point second-half outburst sealed the victory and improved their record to 15-8 overall. Daniel Akitoby added 14 points and two blocks for Texas-San Antonio, which fell to 4-18. Wes Enis scored 16 points for South Florida, and CJ Brown added 12. The Roadrunners will look to regroup on the road at North Texas on Saturday. South Florida continues its homestand, hosting Tulsa on Sunday.

Preview: Struggling Roadrunners Face Surging Bulls in AAC Matchup TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — A clash between teams on opposite trajectories highlights Wednesday’s American Athletic Conference men’s basketball slate as the South Florida Bulls host the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners at the Sun Dome. South Florida (14-8, 5-4 AAC) looks to rebound from a narrow last-second road loss to Temple, a 78-79 defeat on Jan. 31 that snapped a four-game winning streak. The Bulls have been strong at home, winning 10 of their 13 games in Tampa this season. They will be heavily favored against a UTSA squad mired in a prolonged slump. The Roadrunners (4-17, 0-9) are winless in conference play and carry a nine-game losing streak into Wednesday’s contest. Their last victory came on Dec. 22 against non-conference opponent Seattle. In their most recent outing, UTSA fell 83-73 to UAB on Jan. 28. A key matchup will feature two of the league’s consistent performers. South Florida’s Izaiyah Nelson is coming off an 18-point, 4-assist effort against Temple and has been a force, recording double-doubles in wins over Florida Atlantic and Tulsa this month. The forward is averaging 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds over his last six games. For UTSA, guard Jamir Simpson has been a bright spot during the losing streak, scoring in double figures in seven of the last eight games. He led the Roadrunners with 18 points in the loss to UAB and is averaging 13.4 points per game in AAC play. The Bulls have dominated offensively during their recent success, averaging 85.2 points per game over their last five contests. UTSA has struggled to keep pace, allowing an average of 81.2 points during its nine-game skid. History and momentum firmly favor South Florida as it seeks to solidify its position in the AAC standings, while UTSA desperately searches for its first conference win to halt a discouraging slide. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST Wednesday at the Sun Dome.