College Basketball

In opting for proof over promise, USF has hired College of Charleston's Chris Mack, who brings of a resume of 300-plus career wins and nine NCAA appearances at Louisville and Xavier.

Curry's 27-year resume includes runs at Purdue, Texas Tech and Alabama. Her Crimson Tide teams posted 20-win seasons in each of the last five years and reached the second round of the NCAAs this month.

Hodgson is joining a school in the Big East Conference, a basketball-first power league rich in tradition, resources and national exposure.

Hodgson's eyes began to well when Izaiyah Nelson referred to him as a father figure. The coach also praised his parents and took exception to comments by Louisville's coach about some Bulls players.

The Bulls missed 20 of their first 21 3-point attempts and fell behind by 23 points in the second half before going on run over the final 11 minutes. But it wasn't enough to overcome the Cardinals at the end.

Florida, the top seed in the South Region, plays Prarie View in the first round on Friday night at Benchmark International Arena. UF Coach Todd Golden says the proximity to Gainesville is "fantastic."

Florida will open defense of its title at Benchmark International Arena in the South Region on Friday against the winner of a First Four game between Prairie View A&M and Lehigh.

The Bulls will open on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. against Louisville in Buffalo – a homecoming for Coach Bryan Hodgson. They earned the bid by beating Wichita State in the American tournament final.

The Bulls need one more victory to earn an automatic bid in the NCAA tournament. A loss means waiting for a possible at-large bid from the selection committee.

South Florida thrashed the 49ers last weekend, but the stakes are higher now. The Bulls, the No. 1 seed, can earn a bid to the NCAAs with a win in Saturday's semifinal and in the title game Sunday.

Athletics CEO Rob Higgins says interim coach Michele Woods-Baxter will receive consideration for the job and that the team would not accept a postseason bid from any non-NCAA event.

The Bulls fell to UTEP 62-51 in their first game of the tourney at Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham. They finish the season 20-13.