South Florida 79, Central Florida 78 (OT)

[February 06, 2014]  ORLANDO, Fla. — South Florida 79, Central Florida 78 (OT): Victor Rudd scored a season-high 25 points, including eight in overtime, as the visiting Bulls knocked off the Knights in American Athletic Conference play.

John Egbunu blocked a potential game-winning layup try by Central Florida's Isaiah Sykes with three seconds to play and Shemiye McLendon drew a foul on the ensuing breakout before splitting a pair of free throws to secure the win for South Florida. Martino Brock registered 17 points and seven rebounds for the Bulls (12-11, 3-7 AAC), who won for the second time in their last three following a four-game losing streak.

Sykes recorded 24 points, 12 rebounds and five assists for the Knights (9-11, 1-8), who dropped their seventh straight game. Matt Williams added 12 points on four 3-pointers and Kasey Wilson chipped in with 11 points for Central Florida, which saw a desperation full-court heave from Calvin Newell bang off the rim as the final buzzer sounded to end overtime.

Rudd dominated in the extra frame, working in an emphatic, one-handed jam near the midway point of the period among a trio of jumpers to give South Florida a 78-72 edge. Williams capped a 6-0 Central Florida spurt to knot the game at 78 with just under a minute to play and after Sykes' potential game-winning drive was rejected by Egbunu, Wilson fouled a breaking McLendon, setting up the decisive free throw for the Bulls.

Williams and Sykes combined for 17 points for Central Florida by intermission, while Brock, Rudd, Zach LeDay and Chris Perry all notched seven for South Florida, which carried a 37-36 advantage into halftime. The Bulls would lead by as many as seven in the second half before the Knights charged back, taking a 70-68 lead in the final minute before a jumper from Rudd with 10 seconds remaining sent the game to overtime.

GAME NOTEBOOK: South Florida improved to 3-3 in its last six meetings against Central Florida and is 21-5 all-time in the series. ... The Knights, who are among the worst free-throw shooting teams in the nation at 60.4 percent coming in, converted just 9-of-18 from the line. ... The Bulls are 7-1 on the season when leading at halftime.

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