Bulls look for fifth straight win on the road

The USF women’s basketball team will look to push its peak even higher, traveling to Rutgers tonight to match up with a team that has been
struggling lately.

USF (19-7, 8-5) will try to improve its three-game winning streak, tipping off with
Rutgers (14-12, 5-8) at 7:30 p.m.

But the Scarlet Knights may put up a fight.

Rutgers has played well at home this season, losing two of 14 games in New Jersey. Playing on its home court has been the biggest strength for Rutgers. At home, the team has beaten No. 21 Miami, and excluding a loss from No.3 Connecticut, Rutgers hasn’t lost at home since Jan. 6 against St. John’s.

But coach Jose Fernandez said he’s not too worried.

“We’re in control of ourselves,” he said. “We’re not worried about who’s winning, who’s losing, the RPI or strength of the schedule.”

USF has suffered two losses on the road, its last being a three-point loss to Villanova on Jan. 19.

The Bulls hope to lean on the play coming from senior guard Andrea Smith.

Smith shot over 56 percent from the field against Louisville and Syracuse this week and has been the Bulls’ main scoring option.

Along with Smith’s strong play, the Bulls have also excelled in three-point shooting, making 19 three pointers in the past two games. The Bulls will likely continue to
attack from long range and build a healthy lead early in the game.

A win over Rutgers would guarantee a winning record in conference play for the Bulls, certainly making tonight an
important game, especially with No. 3 UConn next in line to take on USF.

Playing the Huskies in the Sun Dome will most likely be a tough matchup, as they only have one conference loss all season.

With Rutgers looking to rebound and USF pushing for a big run, emotions are sure to be intense as the season nears its end.

The NCAA tournament usually favors teams riding a hot streak, so a win on the road could give USF the momentum
needed to have a good chance at the
tournament.

“I think we’re playing our best basketball right now and this is the time of the year you want to be playing your best basketball,” Fernandez said.