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USF Women Know Only Wins Will Assure NCAA Berth

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 16, 2009

TAMPA - 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."

The Bulls (18-7, 5-6 Big East) host No. 24 Notre Dame (17-6, 6-5) Tuesday night at the Sun Dome. A victory would move the Bulls into a sixth-place tie in the league with the Irish and improve USF's chances for an NCAA berth.

With a minimum of six games remaining, USF needs to pile up as many wins as possible to avoid a repeat of 2007. That season, the Bulls won 20 regular season games, were 9-7 in the Big East and had a 33 RPI.

"I thought we were fine," Fernandez said.

However, the Bulls were not selected in the 64-team field.

"We're talented enough and dedicated enough, we are going to get to the [NCAA] tournament," USF senior center Jessica Lawson said. "As long as we keep playing together and playing as a team.

"This is a very great opportunity for us to play a top 25 team coming into our house, protecting our home floor. I think we've been playing together very well as a team."

USF is projected to make the NCAA Tournament by CollegeRPI.com as a No. 9 seed. USF currently has a 46 RPI and is 4-6 against Top 50 RPI teams and 14-1 against teams outside the Top 50. Tuesday night's game is a huge opportunity against the Irish, whose No. 18 RPI is the third best among Big East teams.

Since losing at home to Marquette Feb. 3, the Bulls have put together consecutive victories for the first time in Big East play.

"I think we've been playing better," Fernandez said. "It was disappointing how we played against Marquette. I think maybe our team's attitude changed a little bit after that."

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928

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