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Gransberry Lifts South Florida

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By BRETT McMURPHY, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 9, 2007

TAMPA - University of South Florida men's basketball coach Stan Heath walked up to Kentrell Gransberry after Wednesday's win at Richmond with a simple question.

Are you going to show up Saturday against UAB?

Gransberry's answer: a resounding yes.

USF's senior center had 18 points, 15 rebounds and blocked a career-high seven shots in the Bulls' 68-58 victory against the Blazers.

"He showed up," Heath said. "He was the man."

The win was USF's seventh consecutive, its longest streak since starting the 2001-02 season 7-0, and also ended the Bulls' eight-game losing streak to UAB.

"I thought Gransberry was a big key for us," Heath said. "His ability not only to score around the basket and rebound, but his presence early in the game - blocking some shots and being an intimidator with his defense.

"I think he would agree, his stats look great so far this season, but really he hasn't been playing at the level I think he's capable of playing at."

Against Richmond, Gransberry was limited to nine points and eight rebounds, only the second time in his career he failed to reach double figures in either category.

"I was thinking about that," Gransberry said. "I played really bad. I had to come back and step up for the team."

Freshman Dominique Jones, who became the first USF freshman with consecutive 30-point games, continued his hot streak, scoring a game-high 25 points.

"I thought he had a relatively quiet game," Heath said. "Then you look at the box score and see he had 25."

In the opening 28 minutes, Jones had only 13 points. But he scored 12 of USF's final 22 points.

"It felt like I was forcing it a little bit early, my main thing is letting the game come to me," Jones said. "That's what I've always done. We got a win, still moving."
Chris Howard added 14 points for the Bulls (7-3), who held UAB (7-4) 17 points below its season average.

The Bulls' victory was highlighted by a visitor to the student section. With 17:33 remaining in the second half, football coach Jim Leavitt, with his face and arms painted green and gold and wearing a painted T-shirt, emerged onto the court.

He then went into the student section for several minutes and cheered on the Bulls, who are five wins shy of tying the longest winning streak in school history.

"I didn't see him, but heard the crowd get ecstatic and I knew it was him," Gransberry said. "It was great."

INSIDE THE GAME

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Kentrell Gransberry (18 points, 15 rebounds, seven blocked shots) nearly had the third triple-double in school history.

STAT OF THE GAME: In 31 career games, Gransberry blocked 18 shots. He had seven against UAB.

TURNING POINT: Trailing 49-47 midway through the second half, USF scored 10 consecutive points and its lead never fell below five the rest of the way.

UP NEXT: USF visits Wake Forest on Dec. 19.

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928 or bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com.

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