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USF women's basketball prepares to face maybe the nation's toughest schedule

By Joe Henderson

Mar 17, 2023; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Florida Bulls guard Sammie Puisis (3) drives around Marquette Golden Eagles guard Jordan King (23) in the second half of their first round matchup in the 2023 NCAA Division 1 Women s Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena. South Florida won 67-65. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
Mar 17, 2023; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Florida Bulls guard Sammie Puisis (3) drives around Marquette Golden Eagles guard Jordan King (23) in the second half of their first round matchup in the 2023 NCAA Division 1 Women s Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena. South Florida won 67-65. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
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The USF women’s basketball team is about one month away from embarking on arguably the most ambitious schedule in program history. That schedule is now complete with the release of the Bulls’ 18-game American Athletic Conference slate.

USF has home-and-away games at Rice, Charlotte, Temple, North Texas, East Carolina, and Florida Atlantic.

The Bulls have home games only against UTSA, Memphis, and UAB. They’ll have road  games only against Tulsa, Tulane, and Wichita State. All home and conference games not slotted on national TV will be available on ESPN+.

Before they get into conference play though, the Bulls will navigate a non-conference schedule that has to be among the best in the nation.

It starts with a trip to UConn on November 10, a Final Four participant last season and led by national player of the year candidate Paige Bueckers. Two weeks later, USF meets perennial powerhouse Louisville in Orlando.

The Bulls are scheduled against Mississippi State and TCU in the Cayman Island Classic at the end of November.

Mississippi State won 23 games last season, including two in the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament.

TCU endured a tough season but still managed to win 21 games despite forfeiting 14 times because of a player shortage due to a large number of injuries.

On December 15, USF travels to defending national champion South Carolina, which finished a perfect 38-0 last season. It is the first of a home-and-home series with the Gamecocks.

Finally, on December 21 USF concludes its non-conference schedule with a game against Duke at the Yuengling Center in Tampa.

Duke was 22-12 a year ago and advanced to the NCAA regionals before falling to UConn.

USF was battered by injuries last year, including one to standout guard Sammie Puisis in December that cost her the rest of the season. Puisis, a former McDonald’s All-American, was one of the best three-point shooters in the country during the 2022-23 season and was the AAC Newcomer of the Year after transferring from Florida State.

Puisis returns this season as a graduate student.

Head coach Jose Fernandez returns for his 25th season at USF, which begins Nov. 6 at home against UT Arlington.

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