USF to play Tennessee in first round of NCAA tournament

The selection committee has made its choice.
No. 12 seeded USF women’s basketball will play No. 5 Tennessee Friday in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Columbus, Ohio
The Lady Volunteers (22-9, 8-8 SEC) finished the season No. 20 in the AP rankings.
They lost 84-76 in the second round of the Southeastern Conference tournament to Vanderbilt.
Related: USF women’s basketball wins AAC championship: ‘We weren’t going to lose’
The Bulls (23-10, 13-4 AAC) earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament with their American Athletic Conference championship win over Rice on Wednesday.
USF was the only AAC team to make the NCAA tournament.
USF has played Tennessee only once, losing 52-49 in 2021.
This will be coach Jose Fernandez’s 10th March Madness appearance with USF.
The Bulls last made the tournament in 2023, beating Marquette in the Round of 64 before losing to eventual-champion South Carolina.
USF has never made it past the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Bulls have a 0-5 record in the Round of 32.
The game time will be announced at a later date.
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