The winner advances to the AAC semifinals on Sunday at 4 p.m.
TAMPA (March 6, 2020) – The second season begins for the USF women’s basketball team as the Bulls begin play in the American Athletic Conference Championships against fifth-seeded Tulane in the quarterfinals, Saturday at the Mohegan Sun Hotel Arena. Tip-off is slated for noon and the contest can be seen on ESPN3. The winner will advance to the semifinals on Sunday at 4 p.m. (ESPN2). The Green Wave advanced to the quarters after a 67-61 win over Tulsa in the first round Friday afternoon.
The Bulls look for their fourth win in their last five games and their sixth win in their last nine outings.
GAME 31 | MARCH 7, 2020 | NOON | UNCASVILLE, CONN. | MOHEGAN SUN HOTEL ARENA | ESPN3
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: ESPN3
John Brickley (PxP)
Christy Thomaskutty (Analyst)
Audio: Bulls Unlimited (iHeartRadio/GoUSFBulls.com)
Josh Appel (PxP)
Live Stats: GoUSFBulls.com
Twitter Updates: @USFWBB
Tickets: Ticketmaster.com
NO. 4 SEED USF BULLS | 18-12 (10-6, AAC)
Last Game: March 2 at No. 5/4, W, 80-39
Next Game: March 8 vs. TBA (AAC SF) (if necessary), 4 p.m.
Head Coach: Jose Fernandez
Alma Mater: FIU, 1994
Career Record: 372-271 (20th season)
at USF: Same
NO. 5 SEED TULANE GREEN WAVE | 14-16 (8-8, AAC)
Last Game: March 6 vs. Tulsa, Noon
Next Game: March 7 vs. USF (AAC QF), Noon
Head Coach: Lisa Stockton
Alma Mater: Wake Forest, 1986
Career Record: 585-317 (29th season)
at Tulane: 522-290 (26th season)
SATURDAY’S GAME
– No. 4 seed USF will play its first game of the 2020 Air Force Reserve American Athletic Conference Basketball Championship on Saturday, March 7, at noon against the No. 5 seed Tulane.
A LOOK AHEAD
– The winner of the USF-Tulane quarterfinal game will face the winner of quarterfinal game two, between top-seeded UConn, and either the eight seed Temple or nine seed East Carolina, on Sunday, March 8 at 4 p.m. The winner of that contest advances to the American Athletic Conference Championship game on Monday, March 9, at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
TELEVISION
– All American Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinal games will be carried on ESPN3. Game one of the semifinals, on Sunday at 4 p.m., will air on ESPN2, with game two of the semifinals being broadcast on ESPNU at 6:30 p.m. The championship game will air on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. on March 9.
THE RECORDS
– USF ended the regular season 18-12 overall (10-6 AAC) after its 80-39 loss to UConn on March 2 in the regular season finale in Hartford. The five seed, Tulane, is 14-16 following its 67-61 win over Tulsa in the first round.
THE SEEDS
– USF’s No. 4 seed in this year’s AAC Women’s Basketball Championship, is its third highest since joining The American for the 2013-14 campaign, and its first-ever as a four. The Bulls were seeded either second or third for the first five AAC Tournaments, before being slotted in as the five seed last year, following an injury-ridden year.
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
– This marks the seventh appearance for USF in the American Athletic Conference Championship. Last year, as a No. 5 seed, its lowest seed since joining The American, the Bulls defeated the 12 seed, Tulane, 61-52, in the first round, and then the four seed, Houston, 72-55, in the quarterfinals. USF bowed out of the tournament, falling in the semifinals to top-seeded UConn, 81-45.
– The Bulls have never been eliminated from the tournament prior to the semifinals, and have played in the championship game in four of the six AAC tournaments, including in four of the last five.
USF IN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENTS
– USF enters its seventh American Athletic Conference Championship … USF is 19-35 all-time in postseason conference tournaments, and 11-6 in the AAC tourney … USF has won at least two games in its last five AAC Tournament appearances, and at least one game in its last eight straight appearances in The American and the BIG EAST Conference … The Bulls have also advanced to at least the semifinals of the AAC Tournament in their six previous appearances, and to the championship game in four of the six.
– USF has advanced to the quarterfinals in 13 of its league tournaments (Conference USA, BIG EAST and The American) and are 6-7 in quarterfinal games all-time … In addition, the Bulls have played in the conference semifinals six times and are 4-2 in semifinal match-ups.
– The Bulls went 15 years (1982-83 – 1996-97), as members of the Sun Belt, Metro Conference, and their first two seasons in Conference USA, before they won their first conference tournament game on Feb. 27, 1998, as a nine seed with a 77-62 win over eighth-seeded Saint Louis in the C-USA first round.
– USF has played in four championship games, in as many years (2014-15 – 2017-18), with all the finals appearances coming as a member of The American, and all coming against eventual champion UConn.
THE SERIES AGAINST TULANE
– USF and Tulane have met the 42 times prior to their possible meeting in The American quarterfinals on Saturday, with the Bulls holding a slight 23-19 series lead, dating back to Feb. 3, 1992 … USF has won 14 straight, 17 of the last 18, and 18 of the last 20 games played.
– The Bulls and Green Wave have met twice during their all-time series in the American Athletic Conference tournament, with USF holding a 2-0 advantage … The two first met in the 2015 AAC semifinals with the Bulls handing Tulane a 78-59 loss … During the 2019 tournament, USF defeated the Green Wave, 61-52, in the first round.
About USF Women’s Basketball
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF women’s basketball news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
USF notched its eighth consecutive 19-win season and eighth straight postseason appearance in 2018-19. The Bulls celebrated two all-conference honorees in Enna Pehadzic and Sydni Harvey.
USF has made 15 postseason tournament appearances and had six NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez’s 19 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 350 games.
– #GoBulls –
