Charlotte vs South Florida Prediction 3/8/2026 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The Charlotte 49ers and the South Florida Bulls will meet on Sunday morning in an American Athletic Conference matchup at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida.

South Florida Bulls Betting Preview

The South Florida Bulls enter Sunday’s contest with a 22–8 overall win-loss record, including a 14-3 mark in conference play and a rather impressive 12–2 mark at home. The Bulls have compiled wins over Florida A&M, Coppin State, Kennesaw State, Western Kentucky, Utah State, and Charleston, while dropping games to George Washington, Colorado State, VCU and the Oklahoma State Sooners.

Earlier this season, in the South Florida Bulls convincing 75-56 victory over the Rice Owls, South Florida forward Izaiyah Nelson amassed 24 points (7 of 14 shooting from the field: 10 of 10 from the free-throw line), 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals illustrating his ability to lead the South Florida frontcourt.

The South Florida Bulls average 87.8 points (9th in country) on 43.8 percent shooting from the field per game. Shifting our focus to the defensive side of the basketball, the Bulls are allowing opponents 78 points per contest.

It should be noted that these two teams met earlier this season. Who prevailed? One month ago, the South Florida Bulls defeated the Tulane Green Wave 97-83.

Senior forward Izaiyah Nelson leads the South Florida Bulls averaging 16.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. Senior guard Josh Omojafo is averaging 11.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1 steal per contest. Senior guard Joseph Pinion contributes 14.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists a game.

Charlotte 49ers Betting Preview

The Charlotte 49ers enter Sunday’s contest with a 15–15 record, including a 9–8 mark in conference play and a 4-7 record on the road. Charlotte has compiled recent wins over East Carolina, North Texas and the Rice Owls, while dropping games to Tulsa, Rice and the Wichita State Shockers.

In the Charlotte 49ers thrilling 80–79 victory over the North Texas Mean Green earlier this season, Charlotte center Anton Bonke tallied 14 points (5 of 7 shooting from the field: 4 of 5 shooting from the free-throw line), 5 rebounds and 2 blocks illustrating his ability to lead the 49ers frontcourt.  

The Charlotte 49ers average 73.4 points on 46 percent shooting from the field and 35.4 percent shooting from three-point range (97th in country) per game. Defensively, the 49ers are allowing opponents 73.9 points per contest.

Sophomore guard Ben Bradford leads the Charlotte 49ers backcourt averaging 12.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Junior center Anton Bonke provides the 49ers with a strong interior presence averaging 10.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per contest.

Why the South Florida Bulls Will Win

• Offensive advantage. In 30 games played this season, the South Florida Bulls are averaging 87.8 points per game which ranks 9th in the nation.

• Multiple scoring options. Josh Omojafo, Joseph Pinion and Izaiyah Nelson can carry the offense.

• Home court edge. The South Florida Bulls have amassed a robust 12-2 record at home.

Why the Charlotte 49ers Will Win

• Interior presence. Junior center Anton Bonke provides the 49ers with a strong interior presence averaging 10.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per contest.

• Competitive in conference play. The 49ers have amassed a 9-8 record in conference play this season.

Charlotte 49ers vs. South Florida Bulls Prediction

South Florida’s offensive firepower and home court edge make them the rightful favorite, but Charlotte’s defensive structure, slower tempo and ability to control possessions give the 49ers a strong path to staying inside this number (16.5). The 49ers have been competitive throughout conference play and Charlotte’s ability to limit pace and force half‑court possessions makes a full‑blown USF runaway less certain. With that said, Charlotte’s matchup profile, three‑point volume and ability to dictate tempo point toward a game that stays tighter than the market expects. I am backing the Charlotte 49ers plus the 16.5 points in this matchup.

Hans Geevers's Pick: Charlotte +16.5