# 2022–23 South Florida Bulls women's basketball team

The 2022–23 South Florida Bulls women's basketball team represented the University of South Florida in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Bulls, coached by Jose Fernandez in his 23rd season, played their home games at Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida. This is USF's tenth season as a member of the American Athletic Conference, known as The American or AAC.

## Previous season

The Bulls finished the 2021–22 season 24–9, 12–3 in AAC play to finish in second place. They advanced to the championship game of the American Athletic Conference women's tournament where they lost to UCF. They received at-large bid to the NCAA women's tournament where they lost to Miami in the first round.

## Offseason
### Departures

Due to COVID-19 disruptions throughout NCAA sports in 2020–21, the NCAA announced that the 2020–21 season would not count against the athletic eligibility of any individual involved in an NCAA winter sport, including women's basketball. This meant that all seniors in 2020–21 had the option to return for 2021–22.
| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Year | Hometown | Reason for departure |
| Odeth Betancourt | 0 | G | 6'2" | Sophomore | San Cristóbal, Venezuela | Transferred to Western Kentucky |
| Mihaela Lazić | 2 | G | 5'6" | Freshman | Slavonski Brod, Croatia | Transferred to FIU |
| Sydni Harvey | 3 | G | 5'10" | Junior | Nashville, TN | Transferred to Belmont |
| Elisa Pinzan | 4 | G | 5'8" | Junior | Murano, Italy | Transferred to Maryland |
| Patience Williams | 11 | F/C | 6'1" | Freshman | Minneapolis, MN | TBD |
| Christina Bermejo | 12 | F | 6'1" | Sophomore | Sant Just Desvern, Spain | Transferred to LIU |
| Sara Guerreiro | 13 | F | 5'8" | Freshman | Seixal, Portugal | Transferred to Cleveland State |
| Bethy Mununga | 20 | F | 6'0" | Senior | Zellik, Belgium | Graduated |
| Shae Leverett | 21 | C | 6'2" | Senior | Rincon, GA | Graduated |

### Incoming transfers

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Year | Hometown | Previous school |
| Caitlin McGee | 0 | F | 6'1" | Sophomore | Jacksonville, FL | Ole Miss |
| Priscilla Williams | 2 | G | 6'2" | Sophomore | Houston, TX | Syracuse |
| Sammie Puisis | 3 | G | 6'1" | Junior | Mason, OH | Florida State |

#### Recruiting

There were no recruiting classing class of 2022.

## Media

All Bulls games aired on Bullscast Radio or CBS 1010 AM. All home games and home and away conference games were available on one of the ESPN networks or their streaming service ESPN+.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Non-conference regular season |||||||||
| November 7, 2022* 5:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | Morehead State | W 87–40 | 1–0 | 20 – Puisis | 10 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 7 – Wilson | Yuengling Center Tampa, FL |
| November 11, 2022* 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Florida A&M | W 90–50 | 2–0 | 26 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 7 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 7 – Tsineke | Yuengling Center (1,821) Tampa, FL |
| November 13, 2022* 1:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Jacksonville | W 70–59 | 3–0 | 25 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 10 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 4 – Tied | Yuengling Center (2,327) Tampa, FL |
| November 16, 2022* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Alabama | W 67–59 | 4–0 | 26 – Puisis | 12 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 4 – Wilson | Yuengling Center (2,224) Tampa, FL |
| November 20, 2022* 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at TCU Maggie Dixon Classic | W 66–59 | 5–0 | 21 – Tsineke | 10 – Brito | 7 – Wilson | Schollmaier Arena Fort Worth, TX |
| November 22, 2022* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | New Hampshire | W 75–57 | 6–0 | 26 – Brito | 12 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 3 – Tied | Yuengling Center (1,888) Tampa, FL |
| November 25, 2022* 7:30 p.m., FloSports | | vs. Georgia Tech Gulf Coast Showcase Quarterfinals | W 63–50 | 7–0 | 24 – Tsineke | 21 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 4 – Wilson | Hertz Arena (275) Estero, FL |
| November 26, 2022* 7:30 p.m., FloSports | | vs. No. 22 Michigan Gulf Coast Showcase Semifinals | L 58–63 | 7–1 | 22 – Puisis | 11 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 2 – Tied | Hertz Arena (297) Estero, FL |
| November 27, 2022* 5:00 p.m., FloHoops | | vs. No. 23 Villanova Gulf Coast Showcase 3rd place game | L 50–72 | 7–2 | 17 – Puisis | 17 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 3 – Tied | Hertz Arena (247) Fort Myers, FL |
| December 2, 2022* 8:00 p.m., LHN/ESPN+ | | at No. 22 Texas | W 70–65 | 8–2 | 25 – Puisis | 10 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 5 – Tied | Moody Center (5,021) Austin, TX |
| December 11, 2022* 2:00 p.m., ACCN | | at No. 8 NC State | L 57–65 | 8–3 | 17 – Puisis | 18 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 5 – Wilson | Reynolds Coliseum (5,269) Raleigh, NC |
| December 14, 2022* 11:00 a.m., ESPN+ | | Marshall | W 77–68 | 9–3 | 17 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 8 – Gonzalez | 7 – Tsineke | Yuengling Center (5,578) Tampa, FL |
| December 17, 2022* 1:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | La Salle | W 75–50 | 10–3 | 26 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 12 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 6 – Tsineke | Yuengling Center (2,108) Tampa, FL |
| December 20, 2022* 6:30 p.m., FloSports | | vs. No. 3 Ohio State San Diego Invitational semifinals | L 86–88 $^{OT}$ | 10–4 | 34 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 17 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 3 – Tied | Pechanga Arena (318) San Diego, CA |
| December 21, 2022* 4:00 p.m., FloSports | | vs. No. 17 Arkansas San Diego Invitational 3rd place game | W 66–65 $^{OT}$ | 11–4 | 23 – Tsineke | 12 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 5 – Wilson | Pechanga Arena (303) San Diego, CA |
| AAC regular season |||||||||
| December 30, 2022 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Tulane | W 69–61 | 12–4 (1–0) | 25 – Tsineke | 13 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 4 – Wilson | Devlin Fieldhouse (453) New Orleans, LA |
| January 3, 2023 5:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Temple | W 77–55 | 13–4 (2–0) | 27 – Tsineke | 13 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 4 – Wilson | Yuengling Center (2,084) Tampa, FL |
| January 7, 2023 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Wichita State | W 69–46 | 14–4 (3–0) | 26 – Puisis | 7 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 9 – Wilson | Charles Koch Arena (1,561) Wichita, KS |
| January 11, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Memphis | W 58–45 | 15–4 (4–0) | 14 – Tsineke | 15 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 4 – Wilson | Yuengling Center (2,314) Tampa, FL |
| January 14, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Tulane | W 66–53 | 16–4 (5–0) | 28 – Puisis | 16 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 4 – Wilson | Yuengling Center (2,506) Tampa, FL |
| January 18, 2023 8:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Houston | W 58–56 | 17–4 (6–0) | 22 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 17 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 4 – Wilson | Fertitta Center (633) Houston, TX |
| January 22, 2023 2:00 p.m., ESPNU | | UCF War on I-4 | W 83–51 | 18–4 (7–0) | 21 – Tsineke | 17 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 8 – Wilson | Yuengling Center (4,227) Tampa, FL |
| January 25, 2023 5:00 p.m., ESPNU | | at Tulsa | W 89–68 | 19–4 (8–0) | 25 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 15 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 8 – Wilson | Reynolds Center (1,130) Tulsa, OK |
| January 28, 2023 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Memphis | W 67–62 | 20–4 (9–0) | 23 – Tsineke | 13 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 7 – Wilson | Elma Roane Fieldhouse (933) Memphis, TN |
| January 31, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 25 | East Carolina | W 72–48 | 21–4 (10–0) | 23 – Puisis | 14 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 6 – Tsineke | Yuengling Center (2,184) Tampa, FL |
| February 4, 2023 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 25 | at SMU | W 65–63 | 22–4 (11–0) | 21 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 11 – Puisis | 5 – Tied | Moody Coliseum (1,118) Dallas, TX |
| February 12, 2023 2:00 p.m., ESPN2 | No. 24 | Houston | L 69–71 | 22–5 (11–1) | 24 – Tsineke | 19 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 5 – Wilson | Yuengling Center (2,381) Tampa, FL |
| February 15, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at UCF War of I-4 | W 73–44 | 23–5 (12–1) | 19 – Tsineke | 14 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 4 – Tied | Addition Financial Arena (3,354) Orlando, FL |
| February 18, 2023 4:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | SMU | W 70–62 | 24–5 (13–1) | 27 – Tsineke | 10 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 8 – Wilson | Yuengling Center Tampa, FL |
| February 22, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Tulsa | W 93–83 | 25–5 (14–1) | 27 – Puisis | 13 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 9 – Tsineke | Yuengling Center (2,454) Tampa, FL |
| March 1, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 25 | at Cincinnati | W 85–55 | 26–5 (15–1) | 28 – Tsineke | 11 – Brito | 5 – Tied | Fifth Third Arena (1,380) Cincinnati, OH |
| AAC Women's Tournament |||||||||
| March 7, 2023* 12:00 p.m., ESPN+ | (1) No. 25 | vs. (8) Wichita State Quarterfinals | L 53–65 | 26–6 | 19 – Tsineke | 6 – Tied | 4 – Wilson | Dickies Arena Fort Worth, TX |
| NCAA Women's Tournament |||||||||
| March 17, 2023* 11:30 a.m., ESPN2 | (8 G1) | vs. (9 G1) Marquette First Round | W 67–65 $^{OT}$ | 27–6 | 22 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 16 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 2 – Wilson | Colonial Life Arena Columbia, SC |
| March 19, 2023* 1:00 p.m., ABC | (8 G1) | at (1 G1) No. 1 South Carolina Second Round | L 45–76 | 27–7 | 20 – Tsineke | 8 – Fankam Mendjiadeu | 3 – Tsineke | Colonial Life Arena (10,335) Columbia, SC |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. G1=Greenville 1. All times are in EST. |||||||||

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Final |
| AP | RV | RV* | RV | RV | — | RV | — | — | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 25 | 24 | RV | RV | 25 | RV | RV | Not released |
| Coaches | RV | RV* | RV^ | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 25 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 24 | RV |
*The preseason and week 1 polls were the same. ^Coaches did not release a week 2 poll.