(BCSNN) — South Florida used a late first‑half surge and a balanced offensive effort to defeat Memphis 87–66 on Thursday night at the Yuengling Center, securing a berth in the American Conference Basketball Championship Tournament during head coach Bryan Hodgson’s 100th career game.

The Bulls (11–3 AAC) maintained their two‑game lead over Tulsa and Wichita State and continued a conference season in which their only losses have come by three points or fewer.

Izaiyah Nelson recorded his 17th double‑double of the season with 17 points and 14 rebounds, tying him for the second‑most double‑doubles nationally. He added four blocks, surpassing 200 for his career, and anchored a defensive effort that held Memphis without a field goal for more than seven minutes late in the first half.

Wes Enis scored 20 points, hitting three 3‑pointers and going 9 for 9 at the free‑throw line. He added five rebounds and a steal, extending his streak to eight straight games with at least 15 points and a steal. Joseph Pinion finished with 19 points and four 3‑pointers, pushing his season total to 90 — second‑most in program history behind Tyler Harris’ 97 in 2022–23. CJ Brown added 13 points and eight assists.

South Florida opened the game 3 for 3 from beyond the arc and responded to a 21–16 Memphis lead with a decisive run. The Tigers missed 20 of their final 22 shots of the half, and Nelson’s putback and free throw at the buzzer sent the Bulls into halftime up 47–31.

The Bulls maintained control throughout the second half, holding an 18–4 advantage in points in the paint by the 17:55 mark and never allowing the lead to shrink below 12. Pinion’s 30‑foot 3‑pointer with 43 seconds left sealed South Florida’s first home win over Memphis since 2019.

The victory marked the Bulls’ fifth straight, their longest streak since winning 15 consecutive games during their 2023–24 regular‑season championship run.

South Florida travels to Rice on Feb. 25.