UConn returns to Tampa Bay since winning National Championship
The No. 1 UConn women’s basketball team (7-0) will stay on the road to face the Southern Florida Bulls (5-3) on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 5 p.m.
WHO: UConn Huskies vs. Southern Florida Bulls
WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 2, 5 p.m.
WHERE: Yuengling Center OR ESPN2
History:
The Huskies are favored to win, as they own an undefeated 27-0 record against the Bulls, dating back to the 2002-2003 season. The last time these two programs met was last year, when Connecticut handed Southern Florida an 86-49 loss.
In that game, former leader Paige Bueckers topped the team with 22 points, three rebounds and an assist. The WNBA Rookie of the Year thrived from the field, going seven-for-seven from within the arc and burying two of three (66.7%) deep shots.
Trailing behind her, Ashlynn Shade dropped 15 points, two boards and an assist. Similar to Bueckers, Shade dominated from within the paint, making six of eight (75%) attempts and nailing one of two (50%) three-pointers.
Defensively, the squad forced 14 turnovers that converted into 20 points.
Scouting the Bulls:
Heading into today’s matchup, the Bulls are coming off a pair of wins over the Harvard Crimson and the New Orleans Privateers.
In both contests, Raina Tomasicka, who missed four of the team’s clashes for an unknown reason, returned to action versus Harvard, did not disappoint. In total, the guard contributed 35 off-the-bench points between both battles.
In the squad’s most recent 90-58 victory over the Privateers, Tomasicka finished the day with 21 points, three rebounds and four assists. Within 22 minutes, the sophomore splashed five of eight (62.5%) shots from the field and drained three of five (60%) tries from downtown.
With that being said, keeping an eye on the Latvian native is a must, as she could stay hot.
Outside of Tomasicka, Southern Florida notched 21 points off of 17 offensive rebounds. Collectively, Southern Florida snagged 55 boards.
Scouting the Huskies:
When looking at Connecticut’s lineup last year while facing Southern Florida, it may seem different, as Azzi Fudd did not perform for UConn. At the time, the senior was still recovering from the ACL injury she suffered during the 2023-2024 campaign.
With Fudd back in the mix, the new leader of the pack could easily accumulate 15-plus points. Other than the Virginia native, watching out for Shade and Allie Ziebell is a must. Both teammates are coming off double-digit games versus the Xavier Musketeers. In total, the duo combined for 30 of the Huskies’ 104 points.
If the two guards can carry over their production from beyond the arc, it should come as no surprise to see them secure 10-plus points.
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