NCAA Tourney Possible For Bulls

[bullwark]

NEW YORK -- When the University of South Florida's women's basketball team extended then three-time defending NCAA champion Connecticut into overtime last season, the Bulls proved they could compete in the Big East.

This year, they'll have to prove it all over again -- every single night.

The Bulls begin their inaugural season in the Big East and it should be a beast.

The top 10 teams in Thursday's coaches preseason poll all qualified for last season's NCAA Tournament or WNIT, including USF, picked to finish ninth.

"Just the fact South Florida came into our building last year and gave us the first overtime game we ever had there ... they came in and were not intimidated," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said at Big East media day. "That says a lot about their young players and the mind-set they brought in.

"I think they will be one of the teams that people shouldn't be surprised if they make the NCAA Tournament this year."

The Bulls return four starters -- forwards Jessica Dickson and Ezria Parsons, guard Rachael Sheats and center Nalini Miller -- from last season's school-record 21-11 team.

"I think we can compete with anyone in the conference and in the country," USF coach Jose Fernandez said. "That's the type of program we've strived to establish. We want to strive for a conference title and go to the NCAA Tournament.

"I think we're definitely headed in the right direction."

Auriemma agrees.

"I thought from the first time we went down there [in 2003] that they were a team that was going to have success because they're very athletic and their team plays very hard," Auriemma said. "Jose has the ability to recruit the type of players that fit his system exceptionally well."

Syracuse coach Keith Cieplicki said adding USF, Louisville, DePaul, Marquette and Cincinnati from Conference USA will only strengthen an already tough conference.

"I think over the next five years, people will see and feel that this conference will get considerably stronger," Cieplicki said.

"From a Syracuse perspective, we are trying to get to the middle of the pack in the Big East, and USF and the other teams coming into the league are going to make that just that much more difficult."

The Big East had won five consecutive national titles (UConn in 2000, 2002-04 and Notre Dame in 2001) until the Big 12's Baylor halted the streak last season.

"It's definitely different in the Big East," Fernandez said. "Not taking anything away from Conference USA, but being here in New York City and the amount of media involved, you can really feel the energy and excitement.

"Our players know what's at stake. Every year we want to go to a postseason tournament. We just want the letters to be different [from WNIT to NCAA]."

Dickson said the biggest change will be the tougher competition.

"The level of competition night in and night out will be the biggest adjustment," Dickson said. "But we'll still stick to our game plan, run in transition and play good defense. Nothing will change with us."

Other than a tougher league schedule, that is.

http://bulls.tbo.com/bulls/MGBN3XZUBFE.html

[bullMD2005]

A nice article on a great team.

Question for the masses: Is it much easier to recruit top quality women BBall players to Tampa than men?  Why is JF having so much success, and yet our men's team is picked to finish last in every conference we join?

[Guest Sprtsfn627]

I believe JF has had more time to work with...in addition, at the moment there are no real powers in WBB in the state...but in MBB, we have Florida to compete with.

Give McCullum some time, he'll get it done.

*Not a knock on JF, I think he's a great coach....but I think RM is too.

[Velcro]

Its both time and quantity of competition (and not just in this state, but in the whole country).  There are more obsticles to building a men's program out of mediocrity, imo.  

Regardless, CJF has done an incredible job thus far!

[Rabbi Bull]

Fernandez has also been here a few more years longer than McCullum, give McCullum some time to get his program set and to be able to recruit the players he wants here.  This will be the first year he will be playing with a team that he recruited 90% of the team.  Let's see how this year turns out.  But its also good to see the WBB getting some attention, keep up the good work Fernandez and McCullum

[Velcro]

are you counting transfers as the other 10%?    

at least no SG players are left now that diarra is gone.  No excuses necessary for the dark or light side ;D

[bullwark]

As mentioned before, CJF has been at USF longer than CRM, and that has allowed CJF to build relationships with the High School coaches in the area.  CJF as also been able to interact with high school players in the area during camps.  

[Rabbi Bull]

aren't james holmes and collin dennis SG recruits?

[bulls96go]

go cjf

[Markeymark]

Everyone starts 0-0, and it's a long season.