Click here for NCAA Selection Show reaction and press conference video with Head Coach Jose Fernandez, Shae Leverett and Elisa Pinzan.
USF Advances to Eighth NCAA Tourney; Faces Miami in the First Round
The ninth-seeded Bulls will face the eighth-seeded Hurricanes on Friday in the opening round at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C..
USF is advancing to its eighth NCAA Tournament in program history, earning the No. 9-Seed in the Greensboro Region, and will face eighth-seeded Miami (Fla.) in the first round at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C. on Friday, March 18 at a time to be announced.
Click here for the NCAA Division I women’s basketball page.
Click here for an interactive and printable NCAA Tournament bracket.
The USF/Miami winner will advance to the second round on Sunday, March 20, to face the first-round winner between No. 1-seed South Carolina and the winner of the play-in game between 16-seeds Howard and Incarnate Word.
This marks the 39th meeting between the Bulls and the Hurricanes, with Miami holding a 27-11 series lead. The Hurricanes lost to NC State, 60-47, on March 6, in Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.
USF Notables: USF is currently 24-8 on the year and went 12-3 in American Athletic Conference play this season.
- South Florida’s 24 wins mark the 10th time in program history – all under head coach Jose Fernandez – that the Bulls have won 20 games or more, and the seventh time in the last 10 years … In addition, their 24 wins are tied for the fourth most in program history.
- During the 2021-22 campaign, South Florida achieved the highest ranking of the season when it checked in at No. 13 in the nation in the Nov. 30 Associated Press Top 25 Poll.
- USF has faced a Who’s Who of the women’s college basketball world during its nonconference schedule this season … The Bulls have faced No. 16/12 Tennessee, No. 2/2, No. 9/9 Oregon and No. 2/2 Stanford … South Florida went 2-2 against the four programs with wins over Oregon (71-62) and Stanford (57-54) … The Bulls fell to Tennessee (52-49) and UConn (60-53) by a combined total of just 10 points.
- Three Bulls earned AAC postseason recognition, following a vote by the league’s head coaches. Elena Tsineke was named to the league’s first team while Bethy Mununga and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu were tabbed second team all-conference selections.
- In addition, Tsineke and Mununga were selected to the American Athletic Conference all-tournament team.
- Elisa Pinzan continues to rank as one of the assist leaders in all three categories; total assists (20th, 168) assists per game (4th, 6.7), assists per game (23rd, 5.4) and assist/turnover ratio (26th, 2.27) … She is also first in The American in assist/turnover ratio and total assists, and second in assists per game.
- Mununga has been a dominating force on the boards for the Bulls this season. She is currently sixth in the nation in total rebounds (370), ninth in rebounds per game (11.6) and 10th in defensive rebounds per contest (8.1).
Joining the Bulls are Central Florida, who earned a seven-seed and will play Florida, seeded 10th on March 19. The winner will face the winner of No. 2-seeded UConn and 15th-seeded Mercer.
About USF Women’s Basketball
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USF has recorded its best season in program history during the 2020-21 campaign, all while navigating the unpredictable COVID-19 landscape. In doing so, the Bulls won their first-ever conference regular-season and tournament titles, and posted their highest ranking in the Associated Press Top25 poll, reaching as high as No. 12.
USF has made 15 postseason tournament appearances and had six NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez’s 20 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to nine 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship, and won more than 380 games. For his efforts on the sideline during the 2020-21 season, Fernandez has been named a semifinalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Award.
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