:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/11665063/162780869.0.jpg)
RunningtheBulls.com - #28 Bulls Make it 9 in a Row with Win over Hatters
Let's start with the baseball team, who has not lost a game since some idiot lit them up for their crushing mediocrity. The win streak hit nine with a 13-inning triumph over Stetson on Tuesday night. Earlier in the week, the Bulls actually cracked the Collegiate Baseball top 30 poll, checking in at #28. Even a crank like me can admit they are playing better, but that ranking just isn't supported by the available data.
There are four major college baseball polls, and no other poll even gave USF votes, let alone a ranking. And in the RPI, the Bulls are way, way down the list. Here's a look at teams 21-30 in that Collegiate Baseball poll, and where they sit in the NCAA's latest RPI rankings.
21. Arizona (23-12) - RPI 73
22. South Carolina (27-10) - RPI 21
23. Kentucky (24-11) - RPI 25
24. Arizona State (22-10-1) - RPI 9
25. Pittsburgh (24-9) - RPI 58
26. Coastal Carolina (24-12) - RPI 38
27. Rice (25-13) - RPI 72
28. South Florida (22-14) - RPI 136
29. Houston (25-11) - RPI 60
30. Bryant (23-9-1) - RPI 96
Beating Stetson doesn't do much for the RPI, either, since they're down at #187. (They aren't even close to being as good as they were last year.)
The Big East is better at baseball than it has been in recent years, and it may get more than one team into the NCAA Tournament. But the committee is just not giving an at-large bid to a team with a triple-digit RPI. The only wins the Bulls have over a top-100 team are the three wins they got from Pittsburgh a few weekends ago. So let's tap the brakes on USF making a bid for the postseason. The next four games are a tougher test -- three at Connecticut (RPI 76) and one at Florida (RPI 12).
USF’s Andrea Smith selected in WNBA draft
The 5'8" guard, who was USF's leading scorer this past season at 16.4 points per game, was drafted in the third round (35th overall) by the Connecticut Sun. Andrea becomes only the second Bull ever drafted by the WNBA, following Jessica Dickson in 2007.
FSU forward Kristi Mokube transferring to USF | Tampa Bay Times
Jose Fernandez has to replace eight players from last season's NCAA Tournament team, and Mokube looks to be one of them. Mokube will have to sit out a year, but she'll have two years of eligibility starting in 2014-15.
Elliott enjoys visit, claims USF offer | Tampa Bay Times
Even though USF men's basketball has a full roster for next season on paper, Stan Heath is continuing to recruit, which obviously means that players are going to be heading out soon. One of the recruits is JUCO power forward Dominique Elliott, who visited over the weekend. Another is highly-touted forward Demetrius Henry, who makes a crucial visit on Wednesday. And another is combo guard Corey Allen, another JUCO who committed over the weekend. Someone will have to leave to make room for him, whether it's a transfer out, or Shaun Noriega not getting a sixth year of eligibility.
UPDATE: Henry canceled his visit and dropped USF from his list. Okay then.
Bulls Softball Ranked 24th in Two National Polls - GoUSFBulls.com
In less surprising news involving polls, the softball team is back in the national rankings after throttling Providence in a weekend sweep. USF's record now stands at 35-12. They did take a lopsided loss in Gainesville last Wednesday, but continue to crush everyone else on the schedule. In other softball news, Sara Nevins won the Sara Nevins Award for the second straight week.