Game Details: Sunday, Dec. 29, Houston, Texas, 1 p.m. EST
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Tampa, Fla. – Dec. 28, 2024 – South Florida women’s basketball (7-6) heads to the Space City for its American Athletic Conference opener at Rice (7-5) in Tudor Fieldhouse. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. EST and the action will air live on ESPN2.
SETTING THE STAGE
The Bulls are on the hunt for their third straight victory, their fourth win to close out the month of December, and are looking for their 12th consecutive conference-opening victory. The Owls are looking for their third win to box out December.
THE SOUTH FLORIDA-RICE SERIES
Sunday is the fourth-ever meeting between the two squads, which extends back to the 1989-90 season. The last clash was a 69-59 Rice triumph in Tampa, Fla. (Feb. 7, 2024).
LAST TIME OUT: W, 65-56 vs. No 9/10 Duke Notables
The win is the Bulls first Top-10 ranked victory since defeating No. 7/5 Stanford, 57-54 (Nov. 26, 2021). The ranked victory is the 22nd-ranked win in program history, Head Coach Jose Fernandez’s 20th-ranked win, and the program’s 30th win against a Power-5 opponent. USF held No. 9/10 Duke to 15 first-half points, the fewest points that the Bulls have allowed in a single half against an AP-Top 25 foe.
BEST OF THE BULLS
The Bulls are led by graduate guard Sammie Puisis (14.5 ppg.) & sophomore guard Vittoria Blasigh (10.6 ppg.) Puisis is ranked 11th in the nation with 38 total 3-pointers made and 17th in 3FG Made Per Game (2.92 3FGM). Junior forward Carla Brito holds a team-best 7.4 rebound average. (7th in the American). Graduate guard Mama Dembele is USF’s top assister with 5.3 apg. (68 total assists ranked 21st nationally). In the latest NCAA Nitty Gritties Report, South Florida’s NET SOS was ranked 4th and 63 in the NET.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
L’or Mputu has recorded a double-double in two games this season against AP Top 10 opponents. The only other USF players to have multiple such games in a season this century is Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu in 2022-23 (two) and Alisia Jenkins in 2013-14 (two). Sammie Puisis’ has a 93.5 free throw percentage (29-for-31) in her DI career (including at FSU) against AP Top 25 opponents. That is tied for the highest among all active players (min. 25 attempts), along with Miami-FL’s Haley Cavinder. The Bulls shot 93.3 percent from the foul line and 55.6 percent from beyond the arc in their win against the Blue Devils. South Florida had not reached those marks previously in the same game at any point in the last 25 years. South Florida has won its first game against a conference opponent in each of the previous 10 seasons (2014-15 to 2023-24). Only seven other DI programs did so over that time frame: FGCU, Little Rock, Louisville, South Dakota State, Stanford, Tennessee and UConn. (The Bulls are 11-1 in AAC Lid lifters).
LOOKING AHEAD
The Bulls will return home for a two-game homestand to jumpstart the New Year! They will face Charlotte on Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 7 p.m. (Family Day) and Temple on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. (Dog Adoption Awareness Game | We Back Pat). For the annual Dog Adoption Awareness Game donation items will be accepted and distributed to shelters in need. Acceptable donation items include: Beds, Food, Unused toys, Towels, Crates, Leashes, Puppy pads, Treats, Amazon gift cards, and Chewy gift cards.
TICKETS
Fans can purchase women’s basketball tickets by calling 1-800-GoBulls or at USFBullsTix.com.
ABOUT SOUTH FLORIDA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
South Florida women’s basketball has made 18 postseason tournament appearances and had nine NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez’s 25 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided the Bulls to 11 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2008-09 WNIT championship, has won over 450 career games, and is the all-time wins leader in the American Athletic Conference.
For complete coverage of USF women’s basketball, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
– #GoBulls –
