Sliding Bulls still look toward tournament
Despite a 4-6 conference record, the Bulls still have their sights set on the NCAA Tournament. But USF coach Jose Fernandez knows the margin for error is very slim.
With only six games remaining, USF (13-10, 4-6) will attempt to snap a two-game losing streak when it faces Seton Hall (9-14, 1-9) on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Walsh Gymnasium in South Orange, N.J.
The Bulls, who won the WNIT Championship last season, believe they can still receive an NCAA Tournament bid if they play well enough down the stretch, Fernandez said.
“We’re an extremely young but talented team,” he said. “If we finish with a 9-7 record in the Big East, we have a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament, so we aren’t out of the picture just yet.”
USF returned five players from last year’s squad and are now down to four after starting point guard Jasmine Wynne tore her ACL on Jan. 20 against Pittsburgh.
Seton Hall, meanwhile, has lost 10 of its previous 11 games dating back to Dec. 28 and is tied with Villanova for last place in the conference.
The Bulls, however, are mired in a shooting slump. Over their last two games, they have shot 36-of-108 from the field, including just 5-of-37 from 3-point range.
“We need to work on getting better looks at the basket, and that starts with the girls passing the ball more efficiently,” Fernandez said.
The Bulls have committed 40 turnovers, while averaging just 51 points per game in their last two contests.
“We’re down to our last six games and we really need to step it up,” said USF forward Sequoyah Griffin. “We can’t play selfishly by settling for bad shots. We have to stick together on the court and play for each other.”
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