South Florida women’s basketball (12-8, 5-2 AAC) heads to Greenville, N.C. for a showdown with East Carolina (10-9, 2-5) at Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum on Saturday, Jan. 25. Tipoff is slated for 4 p.m. and the action will stream on ESPN+.
SETTING THE STAGE
The Bulls are winners of seven of their last nine contests. The Pirates have captured two of their last four games and are looking to return to the win column.
THE SOUTH FLORIDA-EAST CAROLINA SERIES
Saturday is the 24th meeting between the two squads. USF holds a 15-7 all-time advantage against ECU, and the Bulls are on a 13-game series win streak. The last clash was a 78-68 Bulls win in Greenville, N.C. (Feb. 21, 2024).
BEST OF THE BULLS
The Bulls are led by graduate guard Sammie Puisis (15.1 ppg.) and sophomore guard Vittoria Blasigh (10.1 ppg.) (Puisis is ranked 5th in the nation with 63 total 3-pointers made and 6th in 3FG Made Per Game (3.15 3FGM). Junior forward Carla Brito holds a team-best 7.9 rebound average. (6th in the American). Senior forward L’or Mputu has a 7.1 rebound average (10th in the American). The Duo leads the AAC with a combined 15.1 Rebound Average. Graduate guard Mama Dembele is USF’s top assister with 4.9 apg. (98 total assists ranked 23rd nationally). In the latest NCAA Nitty Gritties Report, South Florida is ranked 36 NET SOS and 67 in the NET.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Against FAU, Carla Brito became the only USF player in the last 25 seasons to record at least 10 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, multiple steals and multiple made threes in the same game. Only two other AAC players have reached those marks in a single game: Tulsa’s Hadley Periman (January 8, 2025) and UConn’s Katie Lou Samuelson (December 8, 2018). South Florida is a perfect 17-0 since last season when shooting at least 44.0 percent from the field. The Bulls are one of 28 DI programs to be undefeated when having such a field-goal percentage over that time frame. Mama Dembele has 50 steals through her first 20 career games with USF. That is the most by any Bulls player this century through 20 career games with the program. USF has had its last two conference wins come by at least 25 points, its first time doing so since a two-game run from January 29 – February 9, 2020. The last time the Bulls had at least three consecutive conference victories be decided by such a margin was a five-game stretch from February 18 – March 7, 2015.
TICKETS
Fans can purchase women’s basketball tickets by calling 1-800-GoBulls or at USFBullsTix.com.
Game Details: Saturday, Jan. 25, Greenville, N.C., 4 p.m.
TV: ESPN+
Bulls Unlimited: Listen
Live Coverage: Stats
X: @USFWBB
Instagram: @USFWBB
Facebook: South Florida Women’s Basketball
South Florida Links: Notes | News | Roster | Schedule
East Carolina Links: News | Roster | Schedule
ABOUT SOUTH FLORIDA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
South Florida women’s basketball has made 18 postseason tournament appearances and had nine NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez‘s 25 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided the Bulls to 11 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2008-09 WNIT championship, has won over 450 career games, and is the all-time wins leader in the American Athletic Conference.
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