TAMPA — The USF men’s and women’s 2020-21 basketball schedules feature a busy first three weeks, including several games against high-powered opponents.
On the women’s side, USF opens the season Nov. 28 against Jacksonville before taking on 2019 national champion Baylor and Mississippi State at home on Dec. 1 and Dec. 5, respectively. The women begin their American Athletic Conference schedule at Memphis on Dec. 16 before returning home Dec. 19 for their league home opener against Houston.
“It’s been a challenging scheduling year to say the least,” USF women’s coach Jose Fernandez said. “Going to 20 league games (because of pandemic issues) has made it difficult, and losing out on our multiple-team event (Battle 4 Atlantis) didn’t help as well. We are still in need of one more non-conference game, but with the need for strength of schedule/RPI parameters on our part, it has not come to fruition. We are playing two in-state Atlantic Sun programs and two top-10 programs in the country.”
The men’s schedule includes highlight games in the Basketball Hall of Fame Air Force Reserve Tip-Off Tournament in Connecticut against Rhode Island and Virginia Tech (Nov. 28-29), followed by a game against LSU in Atlanta on Dec. 12. The Bulls, who open the season with a home game Wednesday against Florida College, will begin their conference schedule Dec. 16 at Cincinnati.
“We felt it was important to open the season with a home game before going on the road for a week to play in Connecticut,” Gregory said. “We had a number of different teams show interest in coming to Tampa for our season opener, but different situations and scenarios developed that made those potential match-ups unworkable.”
Because of safety concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the USF men’s and women’s seasons will be played without any fans in attendance at least through Dec. 15. A limited number of players’ and coaches’ family members may be admitted via pass list to attend home games in person.
USF men’s schedule
Nov. 25: Florida College, 11:30 a.m.
Nov. 28: vs. Rhode Island (at Uncasville, Conn.), 5:30 p.m.
Nov. 29: vs. Virginia Tech (at Uncasville, Conn.), 8 p.m.
Dec. 4: Florida A&M, 5 p.m.
Dec. 8: Stetson, 5 p.m.
Dec. 12: vs. LSU (at Atlanta), 2:30 p.m.
Dec. 16: at Cincinnati, TBA
Dec. 22: Wichita State, TBA
Dec. 29: at Memphis, TBA
Jan. 2: UCF, TBA
Jan. 6: Tulsa, TBA
Jan. 9: at East Carolina, TBA
Jan. 14: Houston, TBA
Jan. 20: East Carolina, TBA
Jan. 24: at Wichita State, TBA
Jan. 27: Temple, TBA
Jan. 30: Cincinnati, TBA
Feb. 3: at Tulsa, TBA
Feb. 6: at SMU, TBA
Feb. 13: Tulane, TBA
Feb. 17: at UCF, TBA
Feb. 20: SMU, TBA
Feb. 24: at Temple, TBA
Feb. 28: at Houston, TBA
March 3: Memphis, TBA
March 6: at Tulane, TBA
USF women’s schedule
Nov. 28: Jacksonville, 4 p.m.
Dec. 1: Baylor, 7 p.m.
Dec. 5: Mississippi State, 7 p.m.
Dec. 13: Stetson, TBA
Dec. 16: at Memphis, TBA
Dec. 19: Houston, TBA
Dec. 22: at Cincinnati, TBA
Dec. 30: at Tulsa, TBA
Jan. 2: East Carolina, TBA
Jan. 6: Wichita State, TBA
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Explore all your optionsJan. 13: at Tulane, TBA
Jan. 17: Memphis, TBA
Jan. 20: at Wichita State, TBA
Jan. 23: at East Carolina, TBA
Jan. 27: Temple, TBA
Jan. 30: Cincinnati, TBA
Feb. 3: at SMU, TBD
Feb. 7: at UCF, TBD
Feb. 13: Tulsa, TBD
Feb. 17: SMU, TBD
Feb. 20: Tulane, TBD
Feb. 24: at Temple, TBD
Feb. 27: at Houston, TBD
March 2: UCF, TBD