TAMPA — USF Women’s Basketball Eyes NCAA Tournament Bid
As March approaches, the confidence of USF’s women’s basketball team is soaring. With eight consecutive victories, they are now just one game away from the top spot in the American Athletic Conference. The team’s defense has tightened up, and turnovers have become a rarity.
Head coach Jose Fernandez, in his 25th year, remains optimistic, stating, “Everything we want is still within reach as we head into the final stretch of the season.”
However, despite their recent success, an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament is not guaranteed for the Bulls. Winning the league tournament would secure their spot, but a stumble could mean missing out on the tournament for the second consecutive year.
The primary obstacle for USF is the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings, which heavily weigh factors like offensive and defensive efficiency. Despite a strong record and quality wins, the Bulls find themselves ranked 67th in the NET rankings.
Coach Fernandez believes that the rankings are biased towards Power Four programs and do not accurately reflect the Bulls’ accomplishments on the court. USF’s challenging non-conference schedule has not been adequately recognized in the rankings.
USF’s strength-of-schedule ranking is significantly higher than that of their AAC counterparts, but the conference is only projected to receive one NCAA bid this year. ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme lists the Bulls as one of the “first four out” of the tournament field.
Coach Fernandez laments the lack of aggressive scheduling by other AAC teams, which could perpetuate the conference’s status as a one-bid league. Winning the AAC tournament is USF’s best shot at securing a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Holes in this NET?
Despite their impressive resume, USF remains behind teams with inferior records in the NET rankings:
USF
NET rank: 67
Record: 19-8
Quad 1: 1-5
Quad 2: 0-1
Quad 3: 3-1
Quad 4: 15-1
Stanford
NET rank: 48
Record: 13-12
Quad 1: 0-9
Quad 2: 1-2
Quad 3: 3-1
Quad 4: 9-0
Florida
NET rank: 55
Record: 13-13
Quad 1: 0-9
Quad 2: 3-2
Quad 3: 0-1
Quad 4: 10-1
Auburn
NET rank: 57
Record: 11-14
Quad 1: 0-11
Quad 2: 1-0
Quad 3: 3-2
Quad 4: 7-1
• • •
Conclusion
USF’s path to the NCAA Tournament remains uncertain, despite their impressive performance. Winning the AAC tournament is crucial for securing a spot in the Big Dance.
FAQs
1. Will USF receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament?
USF’s chances of an at-large bid are slim, and winning the AAC tournament is their best bet for making it to the NCAA Tournament.
2. What factors are impacting USF’s NCAA Tournament prospects?
The NET rankings, strength of schedule, and conference competition are all influencing USF’s NCAA Tournament chances.
