Sanchez Sideline Report: No. 1 UConn Storms Past USF in Emotional Return for Fernandez
TAMPA, Fla. — The South Florida Bulls ran into a hurricane they couldn't tame on Tuesday night.
Facing the No. 1 ranked team in the nation and defending national champions, USF was outmatched from the opening tip as the UConn Huskies rolled to a dominant 85-51 victory at the Yuengling Center.
The Huskies (8-0) remain perfect on the season, while also improving to a staggering 143-0 all-time against American Athletic Conference opponents and 35-0 head-to-head against the Bulls.
The Storm Surge
UConn wasted no time establishing the hierarchy on the floor. Utilizing a suffocating full-court press, the Huskies rattled USF immediately, opening the game on a 10-0 run. By the end of the first quarter, the lead was 29-10. By halftime, it was a lopsided 48-16.
Sarah Strong paced the Huskies with a double-double, dropping 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Blanca Quinonez added 13 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, while Azzi Fudd and Ashlynn Shade chipped in 10 points apiece.
The Huskies shot 51% from the floor and held USF to just 37% shooting.
Defense Wins Championships
The story of the night was the Huskies' defense. UConn denied every pass and contested every dribble, forcing USF into 20 turnovers—12 of which came in the disastrous first half.
"It affected us, I’m going to be honest," USF interim head coach Michele Woods-Baxter said of the pressure. "The defensive pressure UConn’s got is a whole ‘nother level."
Bulls Make History Despite the Loss
While the scoreboard was unkind, there were bright spots for South Florida (5-4).
Carla Brito etched her name into the program's record books. With a steal early in the second quarter, Brito became just the third USF player this century to record at least 100 steals, 650 rebounds, 150 assists, and 850 points in a career, joining program legends Courtney Williams and Jessica Dickson.
L’or Mputu was the offensive spark for the Bulls, leading the team with 12 points and seven rebounds. She extended her streak of recording at least one field goal and one offensive rebound to 32 consecutive games—the fifth-longest active streak in the nation. The Bulls also showed fight late, outscoring UConn 22-20 in the fourth quarter against the reserves.
A Respectful Reunion
Before the game, the competitive fire took a backseat to gratitude. The Bulls played a tribute video for former head coach Jose Fernandez, who returned to Tampa for the first time since leaving to become the head coach of the WNBA’s Dallas Wings.
Fernandez, who will soon coach former Husky superstar Paige Bueckers in Dallas, shared a moment at midcourt with UConn legend Geno Auriemma.
"We had some great memories together," Auriemma said. "He came up two weeks ago... I can’t wait till he starts throwing that stuff at Paige."
The Sanchez Sideline Takeaway
You can’t simulate UConn’s length and speed in practice. USF learned that the hard way in the first quarter. While the Bulls showed character by fighting for the fourth quarter, the gap between the defending champs and the rest of the field remains wide. The Huskies look every bit the part of a team ready to repeat.
Up Next:
UConn: Hosts DePaul on Sunday.
USF: Looks to bounce back in their next matchup.
