Temple vs. South Florida: Game Time, TV Schedule, Spread Info and Predictions

In what will be one of the final games in the Round of 64, the Temple Owls and South Florida Bulls will lock horns for a chance to be considered one of the best 32 teams in the nation. The Bulls already have a win under their belt as they suffocated California in one of the "First Four" games.

The Bulls were one of the final teams selected to the tournament field, but they proved that they belonged on Wednesday night. South Florida isn't particularly explosive on offense and doesn't even have a player that averages double digits in points, but the Bulls displayed the swarming defense that they employed all season in the Big East.

It's fair to say that Temple is more of a crowd-pleasing team as the Owls love to shoot the three and are among the highest scoring teams in the country with 76 points per game. Temple features a fantastic set of guards that allowed it to beat teams like Duke and Wichita State earlier in the season. They'll need to come up huge against USF.

Here is the definitive guide for No. 5 Temple and No. 12 South Florida's huge second-round battle.

Where: Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

When: Friday, March 16 at 9:50 p.m. ET

Watch: TNT

Listen: WPHT 1210 AM (Temple) and The Ticket 790 AM (South Florida)

Betting Line: TBA

Temple Key Injuries (According to USA Today)

No Injuries to Report

South Florida Key Injuries (According to USA Today)

No Injuries to Report

What's at Stake?

A trip to the Round of 32 is in store for whichever team is able to come out on top, while the loser will simply go home. South Florida already persevered through one sudden-death game, but it will have to do so against a much tougher opponent this time around. This has been the Bulls' most successful season to date, so no matter what happens they can be proud, but they would love to keep the magical run going.

Temple is essentially a perennial entrant into the Big Dance, so the Owls have been there and done that already. Temple knows what it's like to win some games in the tourney, so that could go a long way in preparation for the game. The Owls are expected to win by most so a loss would certainly be a major disappointment for the fans.

What They're Saying

Despite the fact that some consider it nothing more than a play-in game, the South Florida Bulls won their first NCAA tournament game in the history of the men's basketball program on Wednesday night as they knocked off California 65-54. Much of that was due to a smothering defense that has become the Bulls' hallmark, according to Joe Kay of the Associated Press.

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"We get mad when people score, no matter what kind of bucket it is," said South Florida's Victor Rudd, who 15 points. "And that's what makes us have people scoring in the 50s, 40s. We don't like it when people score at all, not even on a free throw.

So we get mad at each other, and that's how we play great defense."

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Most Important Player to Watch: Juan Fernandez

The Owls feature a three-guard attack that could be problematic for the Bulls, and the most important piece of that triumvirate is Juan Fernandez. Not only is the senior leader third in the team in scoring with 11.4 points per game, but he is also the leading assist man at 3.9 per contest, and the best three-point marksman on the team as well with 66 makes and a 43.4 percent success rate from downtown.

Perhaps the biggest part of Fernandez's game is his ability to break down the defense and either create his own shots or find his teammates for high-percentage looks of their own. While Fernandez has been successful in doing so all season long, South Florida very well may be the best defensive unit he has had to contend with all season long. If he can assert himself offensively, though, then the Owls will be in good shape.

Key Matchup: Temple Guards vs. South Florida Perimeter Defense

As previously mentioned, Temple relies heavily on guard play to win games. The trio of Fernandez, Ramone Moore and Khalif Wyatt is among the best in the college game as they combine for over 46 of the Owls' average of 76 points per game. Essentially everything rides on the shoulders of Temple's guards on the offensive end, so if they have an off night as a unit, then the odds of the Owls winning decrease significantly.

Temple's guards will have a major challenge against South Florida on Friday night as the Bulls are seventh in the league in scoring defense, allowing a mere 56.9 points per contest. On top of that, their opponents shoot just 38.8 percent from the field. The Bulls only allowed California to score 13 points in the first half on Wednesday and will look to do something similar against Temple. The Bulls defenders won't be afraid to get physical with the Owls guards, so it will be interesting to see how they handle it.

Prediction

South Florida 58, Temple 57