University Beat

Anticipation was high among fans, but the Bulls couldn't get past the Louisville Cardinals. While disappointed by the 83-79 loss, fans appreciated the team's effort.

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.

USF is in Buffalo to meet Louisville in the first round of the NCAA tournament. A day earlier, the Bulls' coach shared some of the scars as a foster child and joys from adoption.

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.

As a club team, the USF Men's Ice Bulls receive little funding from the university, with players having to pay out of pocket for equipment, travel, stay and practice time. But that hasn't stopped them from winning.

The money is for key infrastructure and public safety improvements associated with the planned district.

The new president greeted students, passed out stickers and outlined big-picture plans for the University of South Florida.

WUSF News is hiring paid interns for summer 2026, including an intern for Florida Matters Live & Local.

The Hillsborough State Attorney's Office said the men would not face felony hate crime charges because "the criminal justice system punishes actions, not words alone."