By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

DAYTON, Ohio - Greetings from the University of Dayton Arena.

The Bulls are getting in a quick practice Wednesday in preparation for the can't-miss 9 p.m. game against Cal in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

This arena has a cozy feel and there isn't a bad seat from what I could tell walking around hours before the fans fill the building. Even the highest spots in the house seem like they're right on top of the action (as you can see from my blog photo).

One thing that's for certain is the Bulls will be ready for Cal. The mood around the team has been upbeat and the focus has remained at a high level from the time we got off the plane all the way up to now. USF hasn't been to the NCAA tournament in 20 years, but head coach Stan Heath's squad puts off a vibe that makes you think they've been making routine trips to the dance for a while.

Another notable thing about the trip is the Bulls haven't been just sitting back and waiting for the next NCAA tournament task. USF players have made the most of down time by staying on top of their school work at the team hotel.

As for tonight, stay tuned to GoUSFBulls.com for a live blog. I'll have starting lineups, notes and a report shortly after the teams go into the locker room at halftime. Seth Leavitt also has you covered from the video side of things and will have a preview up on the site this afternoon.

You can also follow us on Twitter @tomzeboldusf, @usfmbb and @usf_seth.