South Florida Bulls Favored Over Memphis Tigers

CSUN Matadors and UC Davis Aggies also featured in Thursday college basketball best bets

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The mid-major college basketball slate takes center stage on Thursday, February 19, 2026, with a trio of games highlighted as the best bets of the day. The South Florida Bulls are favored by 8.5 points over the Memphis Tigers, while the CSUN Matadors and UC Davis Aggies are getting points against UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Fullerton, respectively.

Why it matters

These games feature some of the top mid-major teams in the country, providing an opportunity for bettors to capitalize on potentially undervalued underdogs or take advantage of favorable point spreads for the home favorites. The outcomes of these games could also have implications for conference standings and NCAA Tournament seeding as the season winds down.

The details

In the South Florida-Memphis matchup, the Bulls' strong offensive rebounding and ability to get to the free-throw line should give them an edge over the Tigers, who struggle on the defensive glass and foul too much. CSUN has been on a roll offensively in Big West play and should be able to keep the game close against a UC Santa Barbara defense that has been vulnerable. Meanwhile, UC Davis' efficient offense and stifling defense make them an attractive underdog against a Cal State Fullerton team that has been poor on both ends of the floor.

  • The South Florida-Memphis game tips off at 7:00 PM EST.
  • The CSUN-UC Santa Barbara game starts at 9:00 PM EST.
  • The UC Davis-Cal State Fullerton game begins at 10:00 PM EST.

The players

South Florida Bulls

The South Florida Bulls are an American Athletic Conference team that has a respectable offensive attack, powered by their ability to generate second-chance opportunities and get to the free-throw line.

Memphis Tigers

The Memphis Tigers are a power conference team that has struggled on the defensive glass and with fouling too much, which could be problematic against the Bulls' strengths.

CSUN Matadors

The CSUN Matadors are a Big West Conference team that has been on a hot streak offensively, ranking near the top of the league in several key statistical categories.

UC Santa Barbara Gauchos

The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos have the strongest offensive attack in the Big West, but their defense has been vulnerable, especially in conference play.

UC Davis Aggies

The UC Davis Aggies are a Big West team with an efficient offense and stifling defense, making them an attractive underdog against Cal State Fullerton.

Cal State Fullerton Titans

The Cal State Fullerton Titans have struggled on both ends of the floor, ranking near the bottom of Division I in several key offensive and defensive metrics.

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What they’re saying

“We must take advantage of Memphis' defensive weaknesses if we want to come away with a win on the road.”

— Brian Gregory, South Florida Head Coach (South Florida Tribune)

“Our team has really found its groove offensively, and we're confident we can keep that momentum going against a tough UC Santa Barbara squad.”

— Trent Johnson, CSUN Head Coach (Daily Sundial)

“UC Davis' defense has been a big key to their success this season, and we'll need to find ways to score efficiently if we want to pull off the upset at home.”

— Dedrique Taylor, Cal State Fullerton Head Coach (Orange County Register)

What’s next

The winners of these games will look to carry their momentum into the final stretch of the regular season as they jockey for conference tournament seeding and potential NCAA Tournament bids.

The takeaway

Thursday's mid-major college basketball slate provides an opportunity for bettors to find value in some potentially underrated teams, as the South Florida Bulls, CSUN Matadors, and UC Davis Aggies all look to pull off wins as favorites or underdogs against their respective opponents.