The University of South Florida Sun Dome and the Amalie Arena are only ten and a half miles apart, but for the USF Bulls women's basketball team, it could be one of the most rewarding trips of their lives.
The NCAA Women's Final Four takes place at the downtown arena April 5 and 7, but the Bulls' possible trip will unexpectedly start at their campus home Saturday.
The Bulls (26-7), the number 6 seed in the Albany region, will host the 11 seed LSU Tigers (17-13) at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in first round action. That game will follow number 3 Louisville (25-6) against number 14 Brigham Young (23-9) at 4 p.m. The winning teams will play Monday for a spot in the Sweet 16 in Albany, NY.
The top four seeded teams in each of the four regions normally host first and second round games. However, Louisville's home arena is being used for games in the NCAA Men's basketball tournament, leaving a spot that USF scooped up.
The Tampa Tribune reported that the news thrilled about 200 fans, including university officials, gathered at a watch party at the Sun Dome.
“Round up all your family, friends and neighbors,’’ said USF president Judy Genshaft, who sat among the players as the bids were announced, then joined in the screaming embraces. “We want to fill every seat. We want to show the nation what we have here.’’ “We were planning on this as a possibility and now it has come true,’’ USF athletic director Mark Harlan said. “I do not want to see purple (LSU colors) in this arena on Saturday.’’
“Round up all your family, friends and neighbors,’’ said USF president Judy Genshaft, who sat among the players as the bids were announced, then joined in the screaming embraces. “We want to fill every seat. We want to show the nation what we have here.’’
“We were planning on this as a possibility and now it has come true,’’ USF athletic director Mark Harlan said. “I do not want to see purple (LSU colors) in this arena on Saturday.’’
- See more at: http://tbo.com/sports/colleges/usf-bulls/usf-women-earn-ncaa-bid-will-host-games-20150316/?page=2#sthash.HJb5VWuK.dpuf
“Round up all your family, friends and neighbors,’’ said USF president Judy Genshaft, who sat among the players as the bids were announced, then joined in the screaming embraces. “We want to fill every seat. We want to show the nation what we have here.’’
“We were planning on this as a possibility and now it has come true,’’ USF athletic director Mark Harlan said. “I do not want to see purple (LSU colors) in this arena on Saturday.’’
- See more at: http://tbo.com/sports/colleges/usf-bulls/usf-women-earn-ncaa-bid-will-host-games-20150316/?page=2#sthash.HJb5VWuK.dpuf
“Round up all your family, friends and neighbors,’’ said USF president Judy Genshaft, who sat among the players as the bids were announced, then joined in the screaming embraces. “We want to fill every seat. We want to show the nation what we have here.’’
“We were planning on this as a possibility and now it has come true,’’ USF athletic director Mark Harlan said. “I do not want to see purple (LSU colors) in this arena on Saturday.’’
- See more at: http://tbo.com/sports/colleges/usf-bulls/usf-women-earn-ncaa-bid-will-host-games-20150316/?page=2#sthash.HJb5VWuK.dpuf
“Round up all your family, friends and neighbors,’’ said USF president Judy Genshaft, who sat among the players as the bids were announced, then joined in the screaming embraces. “We want to fill every seat. We want to show the nation what we have here.’’
“We were planning on this as a possibility and now it has come true,’’ USF athletic director Mark Harlan said. “I do not want to see purple (LSU colors) in this arena on Saturday.’’
- See more at: http://tbo.com/sports/colleges/usf-bulls/usf-women-earn-ncaa-bid-will-host-games-20150316/?page=2#sthash.HJb5VWuK.dpuf
Tickets for both first round games Saturday are $18, and both games will also be televised on ESPN2. Tickets for the second round game Monday are also $18. Tickets go on sale Tuesday at 9 a.m. at Ticketmaster.com. The first 500 USF students at the gate Saturday with a valid student ID will get into the games free.
It's the third NCAA tournament bid for the Bulls, but there could be one sizable obstacle on USF's path to the Final Four. The number 1 seed in the Albany region is the tournament's overall top seed, two-time defending national champion Connecticut (32-1), which has already beat USF three times this season.
Other state schools making the women's tournament include Florida State (29-4), the 2 seed in the Greensboro region, who will play 15 seed Alabama State on Saturday in Tallahassee. The winner of that game will face the winner of 7 seed Florida Gulf Coast (30-2) and 10 seed Oklahoma State (20-11).
The University of Miami (19-12) is the 11 seed in the Oklahoma City region and will play 6 seed Washington Friday at Iowa City.
