Lady Bulls Crushing Cincy

[CoolBull1]

Suddenly our best program???

I went to both the Louisville and Cinci games and those were never in doubt.  Great defensive team, great shooting.  Impressive.  Good job, Coach Jose!

[achiever1911]

Who's Crying Now? South Florida's Women's Team Is Hard To Beat

MARTIN FENNELLY

Published: Jan 11, 2005

TAMPA - Last year, the first day of December, was a new day for South Florida women's basketball. Even with the tears.

``There was crying,'' USF coach Jose Fernandez said.

The USF Bulls were in their losing locker room at Gampel Pavilion, home of the three-time defending national champion Connecticut Huskies.

How they lost made headlines in Tampa. It started a buzz about a program that five years ago carried a stigma and was given up for dead. Now USF had taken mighty UConn into overtime before falling. The Bulls made their mark. Then they cried.

``But they were tears of anger,'' USF senior guard Alana Tanksley said. ``We knew we belonged on that court. We knew we could have won. We should have won. That's where we are. I guess it's a good feeling, really.''

One that's hard to beat.

Up From The Ashes

That's these Bulls. They're 12-4 and 2-0 in Conference USA after a weekend home sweep against Louisville and Cincinnati.

Want perspective? Until Friday night's 67-59 win, USF was 0-17 against Louisville. Cincinnati edged USF in last season's Conference USA Tournament. Sunday, Cincy didn't belong on the same court with even injury-depleted USF in a 74-56 laugher.

It's the right kind of laughter. Want perspective? Only four of the past 26 USF seasons have been winning ones. Four seasons ago, Fernandez's first Bulls team went 4-24. ``It was that bad,'' he said.

Now it feels that good.

There's up-tempo and pressure defense. There's a team coming off the first postseason appearance in school history and headed for better days. Want to know a secret? They're more fun to watch than the USF men.

``We've come a long way,'' said Tanksley, Tank to teammates. ``Why stop now?''

In 2000, everything stopped. The USF program was shaken by racial discrimination allegations that resulted in lawsuits and the firing of then-coach Jerry Ann Winters. Fernandez was 28 when promoted from assistant to head coach - one day before the 2000 season-opener.

He'd phone recruits with his dreams. Big ones. He told everyone.

``I'm sure a lot of people thought I was nuts,'' he said.

Why not them?

Tanksley, who is black, listened. ``Yes, I'd heard what happened here,'' she said. She became the first recruit to sign with Fernandez. ``I just believed in Coach.''

Other believers followed. Significant others, like sophomore Jessica Dickson, the team's leading scorer, and junior Ezria Parsons, its leading rebounder. And sophomore center Nalini Miller. When one falls, another stands.

Take the Cincinnati game. Miller tore a hamstring against Louisville and was on crutches Sunday. She'll be out four to six weeks. A huge loss. So what happened Sunday? Sophomore Rachael Sheats stepped up and scored a career- high 26 points, including 22 in the first half on 10 of 10 shooting.

``We look out for each other,'' Sheats said.

It goes beyond games. Tanksley and junior forward Sharon Cambridge have established the Create-A-Smile Foundation to help underprivileged children in Tampa Bay. Their first event was taking kids to Busch Gardens. It created smiles. So does their basketball.

So does their coach. Fernandez, a true bargain - he's among the lowest paid coaches in Division I basketball - talks of a Conference USA title this season and contending when the Bulls join UConn's Big East next season. Then there's the 2008 Women's Final Four in Tampa. Fernandez grinned.

``Why not us?''

A big dream.

Here's one for 2005.

``Tears of joy,'' Sheats said.

[dabull80]

Want to know a secret? They're more fun to watch than the USF men.  

I find this a pretty interesting quote.

[Papa_Bull]

when will the men step up like this?

When the men can start pulling in Top 30 recruiting classes like the women have done recently. Until then, we will just have to scratch and claw and try to eke out some wins.

[The Sheriff]

I'm happy we're winning, but women's hoops WILL NEVER BE MORE FUN TO WATCH THAN MEN'S!