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UConn loss might be a gain for USF women's NCAA hopes

 
USF guard Shalethia Stringfield, left, pressures Connecticut guard Moriah Jefferson during the first half of Monday's game in Tampa. [AP photo]
USF guard Shalethia Stringfield, left, pressures Connecticut guard Moriah Jefferson during the first half of Monday's game in Tampa. [AP photo]
Published March 4, 2015

TAMPA

Momentarily set aside the 24 victories, 15 conference triumphs, lofty RPI and seven wins against top-100 RPI foes.

The Bulls women's basketball team (24-6) might — just might — have added more polish to its NCAA Tournament resume in a recent defeat than it did in earlier dominance.

Today, the Bulls' NCAA fate isn't a matter of if, but where; specifically, where on the 64-team bracket the Bulls will land. After Monday's 88-65 loss to top-ranked Connecticut, coach Jose Fernandez's club could find itself with the most favorable perch in program history.

"They're athletic, they play hard," Huskies coach Geno Auriemma said. "(Junior) Courtney Williams (26 points) is as hard to guard as anybody in the country, and Jose does a great job with these guys."

UConn's 23-point victory margin Monday at the Sun Dome was its narrowest in American Athletic Conference play (by 11 points) and third-slimmest of the year.

Only No. 19 Stanford (which upset UConn in the Huskies' second game), St. John's and No. 2 Notre Dame played UConn tighter.

Subtract their overtime loss at Stanford and the Huskies had not been outscored in any half this season — until Monday. With all of UConn's starters still on the floor, USF won the second half 35-34, holding the Huskies scoreless for more than four minutes at one point.

"A couple of weeks ago they were pretty successful against the No. 2 team in the country," Fernandez said, referring to UConn's 87-62 rout of then-No. 1 South Carolina.

"I mean, he had his walk-ons in against (the Gamecocks) with six minutes to go. Didn't happen here. It's a credit to the kids we have in our program on how they fought and they continue to fight and continue to compete."

The chances of them competing deep into March seem more realistic than ever.

Before Monday's game, ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme had USF — 30th in the RPI standings — pegged as a seven seed in the Oklahoma City region and spending the opening rounds in Tallahassee. Any due diligence on the part of the selection committee (i.e. if it watched Monday's game) and that seeding could be enhanced.

Which is to say, a dividend could be gleaned from defeat.

EXTRA-VALUE ADMINISTRATOR: Veteran Division I coach Dick Tomey, lured from retirement in Hawaii to serve as administrative overseer of USF's football program, arrived in Tampa at a bargain.

According to terms of his contract, released Monday following a public records request by the Tampa Bay Times, Tomey's 10-month gig pays $83,333.33 annually. The 76-year-old former coach at Hawaii, Arizona and San Jose State also waived the right to all regular employment benefits (life, health, dental, retirement, etc.) but is being provided a courtesy vehicle by the university.

Tomey, longtime mentor to Bulls athletic director Mark Harlan, began Feb. 20 and is set to depart "approximately" Dec. 31, according to the contract. He has attended all four spring practices so far.

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A DOUBLE IN THE TRIPLE: Bulls junior Matthew O'Neal captured his second AAC indoor crown Saturday in New York with an effort of 53 feet, 5.5 inches, nearly 3 feet longer than the runner-up. O'Neal entered the meet with the nation's sixth-best jump this season (53-11) and is a virtual lock to compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships this month in Fayetteville, Ark.

ODDS AND ENDS: Williams enters this weekend's AAC tournament with 625 points, 57 shy of Jessica Dickson's 9-year-old USF single-season record. … The football team adjourned Saturday for spring break and resumes practice at 9 a.m. Monday. All workouts remain open to the public. … Remember the name Joe Cavallaro. USF's freshman right-hander (2-0, 0.53 ERA), possibly emerging as the No. 3 starter the Bulls crave, struck out five over seven innings in Sunday's 3-0 victory against High Point.

Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls.