No. 22 Bulls Open Season Friday Against LSU
Matchup: No. 23/22 USF (0-0) vs. RV/RV LSU (0-0)
Date: Friday, Nov. 10
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Tampa, Fla. | Sun Dome Arena
Watch: N/A
Radio: AM 1040 (
Darek Sharp & Brigid Merenda)
Tickets: 1-800-Go-Bulls | usfbullstix.com
Follow: Listen | Stats | Twitter
Game Notes:
USF | LSU
TAMPA, NOV. 9, 2017 – The moment head coach
Jose Fernandez and the University of South Florida women's basketball team have been waiting for has arrived. The No. 23/22 Bulls open their highly anticipated season Friday against LSU at the Sun Dome. The women will play the first part of a USF basketball doubleheader at 5:30 p.m.
USF enters Friday's ranked No. 23 by the Associated Press and No. 22 in the USA Today Coaches' polls. The Bulls look to make their fourth consecutive NCAA tournament. Fernandez enters his 18
th season at the helm of the women's basketball program and is the winningest coach in USF history with more than 300 career wins. Fernandez has eight returning letter winners in his arsenal, accounting for 89 percent of last season's offense.
Back to lead the Bulls is junior sharp-shooter
Kitija Laksa (Riga, Latvia). Laksa averaged 19.2 points per game last season and was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award watch list earlier this week. Joining Laksa are returning starters from last season
Maria Jespersen (Arhus, Denmark),
Laia Flores (Mataro, Spain) and
Tamara Henshaw (Palm Coast, Fla.).
Laura Ferreira (Lisboa, Portugal), a two-year starter prior to a season-ending injury a year ago, also returns.
PROMOTIONS
2-for-1 Doubleheader
Fans that have a ticket for either the women's or men's basketball game can catch both games. There will be free parking for the duration of the women's game.
Plaza Party
Bulls fans are invited to a Plaza Party near Gate A, starting at 3:30 p.m. The USF Sun Dolls and Rocky will join fans to celebrate the start of the 2017-18 season.
Student Tailgate
USF students are invited to a USF student tailgate starting at 2:30 p.m. Aramark will be on site to grill tailgate food. Student organizations are invited to bring tents and enjoy special tailgate games prior to the start of the game.
Coke Student Club
The Coke Student Club, located at Gate D, is back for the 2017-18 season. It will be open prior to tip-off with free pizza to students.
THE OPPONENT
USF welcomes LSU back to Sun Dome Arena for the first time since 2015. The Bulls hosted the Tigers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the second round after a 73-64 victory.
LSU, which is receiving votes in both polls, returns seven players from a squad that went 20-12 a season ago. The Tigers lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament, 55-52, to California.
USF and LSU will meet for the fourth time in program history. The Bulls trail the overall series, 2-1, but are 1-1 against the Tigers in Tampa.
NOTABLES
- USF begins its 46th season of women's basketball tonight and its 18th under the guidance of Fernandez. The program's first season was 1972.
- The Bulls are 12-5 in season openers under Fernandez, including an 8-2 mark at home.
- Kitija Laksa is two points away from 1,000 career points.
- USF was picked second behind defending league champion, UConn, in the preseason coaches' poll.
- In 46 home games since 2014, USF has compiled a 38-8 record at home, including a 21-5 record in The American.
- Kitija Laksa was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Preseason Watch List, the Naismith Memorial basketball Hall of Fame announced Tuesday. Laksa is one of 20 candidates on the list for top shooting guard in the country.
- Maria Jespersen has left a lasting impact on the national landscape as the USF senior was named to the 2018 Cheryl Miller Award watch list and the Katrina McClain Award watch list.
Season tickets are available for purchase, along with three- and five-game flex plans. Reserve your seats at USFBullsTix.com or by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls.
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 fifth consecutive 20-win season. The Bulls tallied its 20th win in their 24th contest of the season which tied the fastest any program has reached 20 wins. This is the eighth 20-win season in program history and head coach Jose Fernandez has been at the helm for all eight 20-win seasons. The 2014-15 team reached 20 wins in 24 games, and still currently holds the best record for most wins in a season (27).
USF has made 13 postseason tournament appearances and had five NCAA Tournament berths in Head Coach Jose Fernandez's 17 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to eight 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship and won more than 300 games.
– #GoBulls –
