DENTON, Texas — The University of South Florida men’s basketball team defeated North Texas 60-55 on the road Saturday to extend their winning streak to seven games.
South Florida held a 24-19 lead with just under four minutes left until the break, but the Mean Green closed out the half on a 12-2 run to take a 31-26 lead.
The Bulls came out on fire in the second half with an 8-0 run. Youngblood knocked down two 3-pointers during that run, forcing a Mean Green timeout.
The two sides traded baskets over the next six minutes as USF held a 43-40 lead with just under 11 minutes left in regulation.
North Texas then went on an 8-2 run and took a 48-45 advantage with just over eight minutes left in the second half.
After the Mean Green held a 52-49 lead with 3:51 left in regulation, the Bulls went on a 7-2 run with just under two minutes left on the clock and took a 56-54 lead. Youngblood accounted for five of those seven points, including a 3-pointer.
Two free throws from Jayden Reid and Youngblood later sealed a victory for South Florida.
Youngblood finished with a team-high 16 points. Brandon Stroud recorded a game-high 12 rebounds, his third consecutive game with that many boards, to go along with eight points, four assists, two steals, and one block.
With the win, South Florida improved to 15-5 overall and 8-1 in AAC play, while North Texas fell to 12-9 overall and 5-4 in conference action.
USF has started the season 15-5 for just the fifth time in program history and the first time since the 1990-91 season.
The Bulls extended their winning streak to seven conference games, the longest in program history. They are currently tied with Florida Atlantic and Charlotte for the No. 1 spot in the conference.
The seven-game winning streak ties the third-longest winning streak in program history. It is the first time since the 2018-19 season that USF has won seven straight games.
After a two-game road trip, South Florida heads back to the Yuengling Center on Tuesday, Feb. 6, to face Charlotte at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.
