Season ends for two bulls

The injury-plagued USF women’s basketball team will be without Rae Rae Sayles and Tristen Webb for the remainder of the season.

An injury to Webb’s knee on Jan. 23 against Saint Louis forced her to leave the game in the first half. Tests revealed that Webb tore her ACL, a definitive season-ending injury.

Sayles’ injury is unknown, yet the junior will be petitioning for a medical hardship at the end of the season.

“Rae Rae has only played five games for us and she is a key part of this team and we expected big things from her,” USF coach Jose Fernandez said in a news release yesterday. “But she is definitely done for the year. However, after talking with our compliance staff it looks like she is going to be able to continue as a student-athlete and graduate from the University of South Florida in addition to having two years of eligibility.”

Sayles has not seen action since the Bulls were defeated by Florida at the Sun Dome Dec. 2. Sayles was suspended after the defeat for breaking team rules.

Men’s basketball loses walk-on

The USF men’s basketball team lost another player Tuesday. Freshman walk-on Alton Darling became the seventh Bull to quit or be dismissed this season.

Darling, who began to see time on the court after injury, defection and dismissal, quit the team Tuesday due to “personal reasons,” USF coach Robert McCullum said in a Tampa Tribune article Wednesday.

In four appearances on the court, Darling posted six points and two boards in 32 minutes of play.

With the recent departures of Sam Barber and Darling, USF was again forced to dress more walk-on players. Freshman Brandyn Flowers and junior Stevie Moss will give the Bulls nine active players on the bench.

USF to play Auburn

The USF football team continues to strengthen its non-conference schedule, this time by adding the University of Auburn to its 2007 schedule.

The Bulls will play the Tigers Sep. 15, 2007 in Auburn, Ala. Other notable SEC foes USF will face are South Carolina, which the Bulls will play next season, and the University of Florida in 2008 and 2009.

USF is no stranger to stiff competition; the Bulls have already played at Pittsburgh, Alabama, Oklahoma and Arkansas.