UConn WBB's Rematch With Former Conference Foe Lands Date

The UConn Huskies' women's basketball program will ring in the holiday season by running with the Bulls.

The University of South Florida announced on Tuesday that it will finish out a home-and-home set with the defending champion Huskies on Dec. 3, three weeks before Christmas Eve, in Tampa. Tip-off time and broadcast information will announced at a later date.

Facing USF was once an annual endeavor for the Huskies, who faced the Bulls as a conference opponent between 2006 and 2013.

Perhaps best-known for hosting the collegiate endeavors of WNBA All-Star Courtney Williams, the Bulls have been stationed in the American Athletic Conference ever since and they took home its second conference tournament triumph last season, allowing them to return to the NCAA Tournament after a year's absence. Seeded 12th, USF dropped a 101-66 decision to No. 5 Tennessee.

UConn is perfect in 34 all-time meetings against the Bulls, which includes an 86-49 triumph in Storrs last November. In that win, Ashlynn Shade had 15 points on 7-of-10 from the field while Sarah Strong had 13 tallies with seven boards. UConn shot over 66 percent from the field, including a success rate of 80 (24-of-30) during the middle periods alone. This December's meeting will mark UConn's first visit to the Yuengling Center since a 67-47 win in February 2020.

Having reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the past five seasons, the Bulls have bolstered their non-conference schedule under the watch of head coach Jose Fernandez, who has been at the helm of the program for over a quarter-century. In addition to the Huskies, the Bulls are also set to host national powers Duke and South Carolina, the latter of whom fell to UConn in the most recent women's national championship at Amalie Arena, home of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, in April.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags