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USF Women’s basketball team wins the AAC Championship and is headed to “The Big Dance.”

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FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Vittoria Blasigh scored 20 points, Carla Brito added 17 and No. 3-seed South Florida defeated Rice 69-62 on Wednesday night to win the American Athletic Conference championship.

The Bulls will return to the NCAA Tournament after a one-year absence. It will be South Florida’s 10th trip to March Madness.

South Florida led 47-32 halfway through the third quarter before Malia Fisher scored six points in a 10-4 run that got the defending-champion Owls within 51-42 heading to the fourth quarter.AAC Rice South Florida Basketball

AAC Rice South Florida Basketball

Ninth-seeded Rice opened the fourth with another four points and held USF scoreless for nearly four minutes. At that point, Mama Dembele scored twice in the paint to put the Bulls back up by nine.

Fisher scored in the paint to get Rice within 62-57 with 40 seconds left, then the Bulls closed out the win by making 7 of 8 free throws.

Dembele had 13 points and eight assists and Sammie Puisis scored 12 points for the Bulls (23-10). Blasigh had six rebounds plus three assists and Brito contributed nine rebounds and three assists. South Florida made 16 of 19 free throws.South Florida's Sammie Puisis, left, and Carla Brito (55) guard as Rice's Sussy Ngulefac, works to take a shot in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the womens final of the American Athletic Conference Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

South Florida’s Sammie Puisis, left, and Carla Brito (55) guard as Rice’s Sussy Ngulefac, works to take a shot in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the womens final of the American Athletic Conference Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Sussy Ngulefac had 19 points, Fisher 17 and Dominique Ennis 14 for Rice (17-17).

Brito scored seven points in the first quarter and Blasigh added five as the Bulls took an 18-12 lead into the second quarter. A three-point play by Blasigh put USF up 27-16 with four minutes left in the half and they went on to lead 37-26 at halftime after she closed the scoring with another jumper. Blasigh and Brito led the way with 12 points each in the first half.

South Florida never trailed and there was one tie at 2-2. ___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketballRice forward Malia Fisher (1) shoots over South Florida's Carla Brito (55) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the women's final of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Rice forward Malia Fisher (1) shoots over South Florida’s Carla Brito (55) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the women’s final of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)AAC Rice South Florida Basketball

AAC Rice South Florida BasketballRice's Sussy Ngulefac prepares to shoot as South Florida's L'or Mputu (21) defends in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the womens final of the American Athletic Conference Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Rice’s Sussy Ngulefac prepares to shoot as South Florida’s L’or Mputu (21) defends in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the womens final of the American Athletic Conference Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)AAC Rice South Florida Basketball

AAC Rice South Florida BasketballRice center Shelby Hayes, center, looks to make a pass as South Florida's L'or Mputu, left, and Carla Brito, right defend in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the women's final of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Rice center Shelby Hayes, center, looks to make a pass as South Florida’s L’or Mputu, left, and Carla Brito, right defend in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the women’s final of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)South Florida's L'or Mputu, center rear, celebrates sinking a basket as Rice's Aniah Alexis, from left, Dominique Ennis (11) and Pace Rickard, right, walk past in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the women's final of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

South Florida’s L’or Mputu, center rear, celebrates sinking a basket as Rice’s Aniah Alexis, from left, Dominique Ennis (11) and Pace Rickard, right, walk past in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the women’s final of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)Rice forward Malia Fisher, center, is fouled taking a shot as South Florida's Mama Dembele (4) and Carla Brito (55) defend in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the women's final of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Rice forward Malia Fisher, center, is fouled taking a shot as South Florida’s Mama Dembele (4) and Carla Brito (55) defend in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the women’s final of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)





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Buccaneers Re-Sign Quarterback Kyle Trask to a One-Year Deal

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are bringing back quarterback Kyle Trask on a one-year deal per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport,

“Source: The #Bucs have agreed to terms with backup QB Kyle Trask, as he’s set to return to Tampa Bay QB room. The former 2nd rounder will once again back up Baker.

He gets a 1-year, $2.787M deal.”

Kyle Trask was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2nd round (64th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft. He signed a 4-year rookie contract worth $5.54 million, including a $1.39 million signing bonus, on June 8, 2021.

Trask made his NFL debut in Week 18 of the 2022 season, passing for 23 yards against the Atlanta Falcons.

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SEC Tournament – The most competitive in all of college basketball. Florida hopes it will vault them into NCAA 1 seed.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — There’s only one way for No. 4 Florida to guarantee itself a top seed in the NCAA Tournament: win the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

And coach Todd Golden badly wants one of those No. 1 seeds in the NCAA field, which will be announced Sunday.

“We’re going to go try to win this thing,” he said emphatically Wednesday. “We’re going to give it all we got.”

Florida (27-4, 14-4 SEC) will play Missouri, LSU or Mississippi State in the quarterfinals Friday in Nashville, Tennessee. The second-seeded Gators enter the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the league, winners of nine of their last 10.Texas A M Florida Basketball

Texas A M Florida Basketball© Alan Youngblood

It’s not enough, though. Florida appears to have a tenuous grip on the final No. 1 seed, behind Duke, Auburn and Houston. Losing in the SEC tourney would put that at risk, especially if Alabama or Tennessee ends up cutting down the nets inside Bridgestone Arena.

“To be honest, I think it’s really important to us,” Golden said. “But at the same time, I’m not sure how big of a difference our path would truly be whether we’re the third or fourth 1 seed, or the first or second 2 seed. …

“We definitely want the 1 seed, don’t get me wrong. At this point, I think we’re in a really good spot. Pride-wise, we’re going to do everything we can to get this 1 seed. But I’m confident in our potential, whether we end up getting it or we’re a high 2.”Mississippi Florida Basketball

Mississippi Florida Basketball© Alan Youngblood

Why does it matter? Sixteen of the last 23 national champions were No. 1 seeds. Six of the past seven champions have been top seeds, as well as 13 of the last 17.

“We’re approaching it with the same mentality we had all year, and that’s just going out and doing our job, trusting each other, having confidence in each other and go out and win,” senior guard Walter Clayton Jr. said.

LISTEN TO ALL THE TOURNAMENT ACTION FROM ALL THE MAJOR CONFERENCES AND MARCH MADNESS WITH THE VARSITY APP.

Clayton added that a No. 1 seed would mean little to him and his teammates.

“Whatever path, I like my guys,” he said. “Me and my guys against whoever.”

Golden, though, believes in analytics and numbers – so much so that he ordered up research on whether winning the league or advancing to the title game had any effect on NCAA Tournament success.

Golden and his staff were intrigued after the Gators made the SEC finale last year and then lost in the NCAA’s opening round. Golden decided to turn to data to see if the two had any historical correlation.

The results were mixed.

“It doesn’t matter enough,” Golden said.

He pointed to Auburn as an example. The Tigers won the SEC Tournament last year and then lost in the first round of NCAAs. They also won the league tourney in 2019 and then advanced to the Final Four.

Digging deeper, only three of the last 10 national champions — UConn (2024), Kansas (2022) and Villanova (2018) — won their conference tournament.

But Florida would rather have a No. 1 seed, especially since it would mean playing closer to home for the first and second rounds.

“That would be a nice little cherry on top of our regular season if we’re able to get the 1 seed for sure,” Golden said.

___

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19 straight wins for the University of Tampa softball team. It is a big reason for their No. 3 national ranking.

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The No. 3 University of Tampa softball team extended its impressive season with a dominant doubleheader sweep over Caldwell, securing their 18th and 19th consecutive victories. The Spartans are now tied for the longest winning streak in program history, matching the 19-game streak set in 2019.

Inside The Matchup

Location: Naimoli Field | Tampa, Fla.
Final Score (Game One): No. 3 Tampa 11 | Caldwell 0 (5 innings)
Final Score (Game Two): No. 3 Tampa 7 | Caldwell 2
History: Tampa improves to 2-0 all-time against Caldwell.
Records: Tampa (23-1), Caldwell (0-9)

Game One Highlights

Tampa scored in each of the first three innings en route to an 11-0 run-rule victory. The Spartans exploded for seven runs in the second inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Kenzie Reynolds and an RBI triple from Lauren FantoneGwen McGinnis and Kate DeSimone combined for a four-hit shutout, striking out five. Offensively, Tampa racked up 12 hits, with multiple players contributing an RBI. Mariah Galhouse got the scoring started with an RBI double, bringing in Lilly Kiester in the first inning. In the second inning, Tampa capitalized on defensive miscues and strung together a series of hits, including RBI contributions from Reynolds, Fantone, Kiester, and Alexa Russo. The Spartans extended their lead to 11-0 with a two-run double by Russo in the third inning. Kate DeSimone (W, 5-0) threw three dominant innings, allowing just one hit while striking out five.

Top Performers (Game One)

Game Two Highlights

Tampa used a balanced attack to defeat Caldwell 7-2. Mariah Galhouse controlled the game in the circle, pitching a complete game while allowing no earned runs. After a slow start, the Spartans broke through in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Mckenna Demartino. Galhouse helped her own cause with an RBI triple in the third. Tampa put the game out of reach in the fourth with a three-run frame, including another RBI triple from Demartino. Demartino’s third inning sacrifice fly gave Tampa an early lead. In the fourth, Galhouse tripled to drive in Fantone, making it 2-0. Tampa would put up three more runs, highlighted by Demartino’s second RBI triple and a single from Reynolds. An error in the fifth inning allowed Galhouse to score, extending the lead to 6-1. Galhouse (W, 9-0) was outstanding, allowing six hits but no earned runs in her complete-game effort.

Top Performers (Game Two)





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