Did Memphis basketball finally hit on something in the second half against Wichita State?

That's when the Tigers (15-2, 4-0 AAC) scored 63 points, shooting better than 68% from the field in the process. They also set a new program record with 19 3-pointers, 12 of which came after halftime.

A performance like that can sometimes be a spark. The No. 12 Tigers host South Florida (9-5, 2-1) Thursday (6 p.m., ESPN) and coach Penny Hardaway sure hopes Sunday's win will be.

"It felt really good," he said Sunday. "And I think the guys' confidence has gone through the roof after a game like this, because of the flow of the game and how they played. When they play like they did today, it looks really good."

Here are three things to keep an eye on ahead of Thursday's contest.

Jahvon Quinerly has found another gear

Kendric Davis spent one season at Memphis − and what a season it was.

From the point guard spot, Davis averaged 22.1 points and 5.6 assists per game. His was one of the more illustrious individual seasons in Tigers history.

Jahvon Quinerly, Davis' successor at point guard, is piecing together quite an encore. Two weeks ago, Quinerly became only the second player in program history to hit game-winning field goals in back-to-back games. Andre Turner was the other, who did it against UAB and Boston College in the 1985 NCAA Tournament.

Then, Quinerly dropped 26 points on UTSA in an overtime win at FedExForum. Then, he blistered Wichita State to the tune of 23 points, all while tying a career-high with 11 assists. His production of late looks even better when one considers how efficient he has been. Quinerly is shooting 45.8% from the field over his last four games and 52% from the 3-point line.

“To me, it was gonna be hard to top a lot of the things that Kendric Davis did last year,” said Hardaway. “But JQ is doing some special stuff. He has a string of games together that are second-to-none, for sure.”

Nicholas Jourdain: the best in the country?

As doggedly as Hardaway pursued big names like Quinerly or leading scorer David Jones in the offseason, he says he went after Temple transfer Nicholas Jourdain just as hard.

And Jourdain, who spent much of his career with the Owls overshadowed by the likes of Khalif Battle and Damian Dunn, is making Hardaway look like a genius. While his surface-level stats (7.2 points and 4.3 rebounds a game) don't exactly smack of stardom, Jourdain's value on offense through 17 games at Memphis is unparalleled.

Jourdain has an offensive rating of 148.3 (higher than anyone else in the country), according to KenPom.com, the advanced analytics website. Exactly what is taken into account to measure a player's offensive rating is unknown. KenPom defines offensive rating as "a measure of personal offensive efficiency developed by Dean Oliver. The formula is very complicated, but accurate."

KenPom breaks down offensive rating rankings into two groups based on percentage of minutes played. Jourdain has not played enough minutes this season to qualify for the overall rankings, which is led by Purdue's Zach Edey.

USF scouting report

The Bulls' primary strength as a team is taking care of the ball on offense and being disruptive on defense. USF turns its opponents over on average four more times per game than it gives the ball up.

Seeing how Memphis commits a strong share of turnovers but also forces other teams to do the same, that could play a large role in Thursday's game.

Chris Youngblood and Selton Miguel are the offensive leaders for USF. Both 6-foot-4 senior guards, Youngblood and Miguel average better than 14 points per game apiece this season. Miguel is the Bulls' primary 3-point threat, shooting 47.1% beyond the arc.

USF's primary weakness is on the glass. The Bulls have been out-rebounded this season 525-515.

MEMPHIS BASKETBALL: Tigers smash Wichita State with second-half dominance. Here are 5 takeaways

Memphis basketball score prediction vs. USF

Memphis 86, USF 77: An 11th straight win would be the longest winning streak of the Hardaway era at Memphis.

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or follow him @munzly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis basketball vs. USF: Score prediction, scouting report