TAMPA, Florida - HBU opens its 2017-18 season on the road for a non-conference match-up facing #23 South Florida on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. (CST) in the Sun Dome. The legacy Sports Network audio broadcast with Bill Cousins will be available on HBUHuskies.com.
HBU (0-0) finished the 2016-17 Southland conference play in 11
th with a 4-14 record and 6-22 overall. Returning starter sophomore guard Shannon Jones averaged 4.3 points, pulled down 2.9 rebounds, the third best for the Huskies, and totaled 11 steals. Sophomore forward Lauren Calver and sophomore guard Sydney Carr are also returning starters from the 2016-17 season. Calver averaged 4.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and tacked on 11 steals. Carr averaged 3.3 points a game, was first on the team in field goal percentage (38 percent) and went 75 percent from the free-throw line.
Junior guard Amanda Johnson and sophomore guard Sophie Taylor are the top returning scorers for the Huskies. Taylor averaged 5.3 points, shot 81.0 percent from the free-throw line and was third on the team with 37 assists. Johnson averaged 5.1 points, shot 30.6 percent from the floor, 78.1 percent from behind the line, had 19 assists and nine steals.
Head coach
Donna Finnie is entering her fifth season at the helm adding assistant coach
Precious Ivy to her staff.
South Florida (1-0) finished its 2016-17 season with an overall record of 24-9 and went 11-5 in its conference finishing in third. After a three-game run in their conference tournament, the Bulls walked away with a runner-up finish to punch a ticket to the NCAA tournament, where they were downed by Missouri in the first round. Heading into its preseason play ranked 23
rd by the Associated Press and 22
nd in the USA Today Coaches' poll, the Bulls return four starters, eight total letterwinners, and add four newcomers.
In their season opening win against LSU on Friday night, the Bulls were led offensively by senior forward Maria Jespersen who scored 20 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Junior guard Kitija Laksa scored 16 points and had nine rebounds, senior point guard Laia Flores chipped in with eight points and senior wing Laura Ferreira added seven points pulling down 10 rebounds.
South Florida's head coach Jose Fernandez enters his 18
th season and is the most winningest coach in USF history with a 309-235 career record.
The Huskies return home to Sharp Gym, Wednesday Nov. 15 for a match-up against Letourneau and will quickly turn around to face cross-town rival Rice at Tudor Fieldhouse Saturday Nov. 18 at 2:00 p.m.
