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Daily Links
??Greg Auman writes a great feature on Bulls leading scorer Dominique Jones and his special relationship with his father. He writes,"A half-hour after a disappointing loss, after the Sun Dome has emptied, they sit alone together in a section of seats, father and son.

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Daily Links
? Greg Auman reports in his blog that "USF's Ronnie McKeefery will be honored Friday in Indianapolis by the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society as the group's national Collegiate Football Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year.

"I am extremely honored to receive such a prestigious award," McKeefery said. "I appreciate (USF) allowing me the opportunity to work with great athletes and coaches. This award speaks more to the people at South Florida than it does me."

McKeefery, USF's head strength and conditioning coach, has worked with the Bulls' football team since before the 2000 season, making him one of Jim Leavitt's most tenured staff members. The award will be presented at the PFSCCS's annual banquet, held in conjunction with the NFL Combine workouts in Indianapolis.

? Brett McMurphy writes that help is on the way for?the??men's basketball team as Bulls signee Shaun Noriega?was impressive in his final high school game. The 6-4 sharpshooter from North Port dropped 29 points including four three pointers.?McMurphy?writes "USF is finishing up a rough season in the Big East, but help appears on the way for next year. Tribune correspondent Lee Diekemper was at North Port senior G Shaun Noriega's final high school game Thursday. And if Thursday's game was any indication, the Bulls have signed a bonafide outside threat. Here's Diekemper's report:

With USF coach Stan Heath in attendance, USF signee Shaun Noriega played his final high school game Thursday in Gulfport when his North Port squad lost a nail biter to Boca Ciega 65-64 in the Class 5A region quarterfinals."

? Greg Auman's Blog

??Brett McMurphy's Blog

? Oracle Sports Editor?Kerry Klecic's Blog?

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Daily Links
? Brett McMurphy writes that Bulls Skipper?Lelo Prado and his ball club are aiming high with their sights set on the NCAA tournament. He writes,"Year 3 of the Lelo Prado era at the University of South Florida begins Friday, and Prado is confident it will be much better than his first two seasons as the Bulls' baseball coach.

And that, Prado fully understands, means anything less than the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2002 would be a disappointment.

"Our goal is to win the Big East," said Prado, 65-53 at USF. "I feel we have enough talent to be in a regional this year, even though we're basically a sophomore club."

? McMurphy recaps last night's loss to Georgetown at the Sun Dome.

? Greg Auman also recaps last night's loss.

? Kelli Polson of the Oracle previews tomorrow's men's tennis match as the Bulls travel north?to Gainesville to take on the No. 5 Gators in an in-state tilt. She writes,"There will be no shortage of storylines when the South Florida men's tennis team plays No. 7 Florida on Friday in Gainesville. These teams know each other well.

Prior to attending USF, freshman Mark Oljaca played Florida's Joseph Burkhardt, Jeff Dadamo, Johnny Hamui and Erik Corace in national junior tournaments.
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“We know what to expect, they know what to expect, and it's going to be a battle,” Oljaca said.? “There's going to be emotions ? maybe some tempers, too.”

? Kerry Klecic of the Oracle previews softball's weekend as they play host once again for the USF "The Game" Tournament.

? Greg Auman's Blog

??Brett McMurphy's Blog

? Oracle Sports Editor?Kerry Klecic's Blog?

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Daily Links
? Brett McMurphy recaps the Bulls 86-79 loss to Notre Dame at the Sun Dome last night. He writes,"The University of South Florida was looking at Tuesday's game against No. 24 Notre Dame as an opportunity to solidify its NCAA Tournament hopes. Instead, the Bulls were left hoping that an 86-79 loss to the Irish didn't cripple their NCAA chances.

The Bulls (18-8, 5-7 Big East) were in control early, leading by 14 in the first half and eight at halftime. However, the Irish pulled even at 75 with 3:28 remaining when USF's Porche Grant was called for a foul and then a technical foul."

? McMurphy writes that senior defensive end George Selvie was simply "Shocked" to hear of the departure of Wally Burnham as defensive coordinator. He writes,"...Selvie said he was "shocked" by the news.

"You never think a person like Coach Burnham will ever leave this place," Selvie said. "I guess bigger and better things come along. He made a decision and I'm happy for him."

Selvie said what he'll miss from Burnham, USF's defensive coordinator or co-coordinator the past eight seasons, is how he dealt with the players."

? Greg Auman previews tonights game as the Georgetown Hoyas visit the Sun?Dome for a BIG EAST Clash. He writes,"Much like Notre Dame was before USF played there Sunday, Georgetown is a former top-10 team now in freefall, having lost seven of its last eight games to go from No. 9 nationally to likely missing the NCAA Tournament."

? Auman takes a look back at last night's loss to the Fighting Irish. He writes," USF's women's basketball team led No. 24 Notre Dame by as many as 14 points in the first half, but the Bulls' outside shots stopped falling, and the Fighting Irish battled back for an 86-79 win in the Sun Dome on Tuesday night.

"It's definitely a tough loss, especially at home," coach Jose Fernandez said. "They have a very good basketball team, and they found a way to make plays at the end."

The score was tied at 75 with 3:28 to play when USF's Porche Grant was called for a foul going over the back, then a technical foul for throwing an elbow. Notre Dame (18-6, 7-5) hit four free throws to take the lead, then scored the next four to go ahead by eight."

? Auman writes an interesting article on?events surrounding USF completing their 2009 Football Schedule.

? Phil Neary of the Oracle writes,"South Florida coach Lelo Prado knows the Bulls will only go as far as their pitching rotation takes them. “If we're going to be great, we've got to be able to pitch,” Prado said. “We have enough guys.”

Prado said the Bulls have as many as 14 go-to pitchers for the season.

Anchoring the starting rotation are sophomores Randy Fontanez and Derrick Stultz. Both return with valuable starting experience from a year ago and bring their own style to the top of the rotation."

? Branden Gall of Athlon Sports ranks the Bulls group of incoming?defensive end's?as the Best in the Country. He writes,"For now, however, that title will go to South Florida. The Bulls landed six defensive ends, including Ryne Giddins ? who was rated as the top defensive end prospect in the state of Florida. Landing Giddins was almost more important in that it sent a message to the other power schools in Florida that USF will recruit with the big boys. With George Selvie mentoring all these young kids, expect the pass rush for the Bulls to be stout for years to come."

? The Oracle's Preview of tonight's game against the Hoyas.

? Greg Auman's Blog

??Brett McMurphy's Blog

? Oracle Sports Editor?Kerry Klecic's Blog?

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Daily Links
? Brett McMurphy writes Jose Fernandez knows that winning is the only way to solidify USF's postseason status. He writes,"After what happened to his University of South Florida women's basketball team two years ago, Coach Jose Fernandez doesn't think getting a specific number of victories will guarantee the Bulls an NCAA Tournament berth.

Instead, he said the Bulls just have to do one thing: keep winning. And winning. And winning.

"We don't have to look at what else is going on around the country [with other teams] or what's going on in our league," Fernandez said. "We control what our destiny is going to be."'

? Greg Auman writes in his blog that fatigue has played a role in the Bulls recent late game slumps.

? Alex Cobb of the Oracle, previews the Bulls key BIG EAST match up as they welcome the Irish of Notre Dame to Sun Dome. He writes,"The South Florida women's basketball team will look to win its third straight Big East game tonight when it hosts No. 24 Notre Dame at the Sun Dome.

The Bulls are coming off an 80-51 victory over Seton Hall on Saturday night. Coach Jose Fernandez said afterward that every win will be important if the team wants a bid into the NCAA tournament."

? Cobb writes a feature on Bulls guard Jasmine Wynne, the Bulls lone freshman, and her approach on the defensive end. He writes,"A green sign with white letters outside the USF women's basketball locker room reads: “Protect our court.” Freshman Jasmine Wynne tries to follow that saying every time she plays defense.

Wynne ? the only freshman on the team ? made her mark for USF on the defensive side of the ball. While the Bulls are known for their high-scoring offense, coach Jose Fernandez said Wynne has made a huge impact on the team's 18-7 record."

? Johnathon Mulder, a columnist for the Oracle, writes," ...Sometimes these situations can prompt bitter feelings. Don't sweat it, Bulls fans ? USF playing two Football Championship Subdivision teams won't hurt things too much.

USF has already scheduled FCS foe Wofford and cupcake Western Kentucky. Without any time to schedule another opponent by next season, the Bulls will be looking for another “Sun-Belt” type opponent."?

?Greg Auman's Blog

??Brett McMurphy's Blog

? Oracle Sports Editor?Kerry Klecic's Blog?

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Daily Links
? In his blog, Greg Auman breaks down the women's hoops team's NCAA tournament hopes. He writes,"Having won three of four games to move within one win of a .500 record in Big East play, has USF's women's basketball team put itself in position to make the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in school history?

There are still five important games left in the regular season, then a pivotal few days at the Big East tournament, but at least one projection has USF (18-7, 5-6) in the NCAA field. Analyst Jerry Palm, who runs CollegeRPI.com, has USF in as the eighth of nine Big East teams in his Feb. 10 projections. ESPN.com's Charlie Creme, meanwhile, has just seven Big East teams making the cut, with USF on the outside looking in as part of his most recent projection."

? Darryl Mellema - correspondent for the St. Petersburg Times - breaks down the Bulls loss at Notre Dame. He writes,"It's not as if USF hadn't been in this position before ? playing a ranked team close then losing.

But Sunday's game was at Notre Dame, which until recently had the longest homecourt winning streak in the nation. Despite rallying throughout the second half, the Bulls lost the Big East contest 67-57.

? Oracle sports editor Kerry Klecic also takes a look at the Bulls 67-57 loss in South Bend.

? The Oracle's Will McLaughlin breaks down the softball team's 2-3 performance in the USF Wilson Tournament, highlighting its two close losses to No. 12 Arizona.

? Oracle staff writer Kelli Polson discusses the men's tennis 7-0 sweep of Georgia State, while correspondent Joel Leventhal recaps a pair of setbacks for the women's tennis team against Furman and Florida State.

? Correspondent Alex Cobb rounds out The Oracle's coverage of the weekend with a piece on the women's basketball victory against Seton Hall.

? BIG EAST Blogger Brian Bennett of ESPN.com does a neat feature called "The Mount Rushmore of USF"

? Football signee Lindsay Lamar was named a 2009 Track & Field News' preseason All-America team in the sprints.

? ESPN.com's BIG EAST Blogger Brian Bennett's takes an?early look at the Bulls?2009 schedule

? Greg Auman's Blog

??Brett McMurphy's Blog

? Oracle Sports Editor?Kerry Klecic's Blog?
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