Can win at Notre Dame make USF history?

Posted Feb 5, 2010 by Scott Carter

Updated Feb 5, 2010 at 09:12 AM

Quick, when did USF play its first men’s basketball game and did the Bulls win or lose? Bonus points if you know the score ...

OK, time is up. We live in the Internet Age, so you only had a tenth of a millisecond to look up the answer.

The answer: USF opened with a 74-73 win at Stetson on Dec. 1, 1971. The Bulls didn’t waste any time in playing tough opponents, that’s for sure. The first five games in school history were at Stetson, at Florida, at Alabama, at Mississippi State and at home against Florida.

Since that opening win at Stetson, the Bulls have played 1,105 games heading into Sunday’s showdown at Notre Dame. At 15-7, 5-5 in the Big East, Sunday’s game could have major ramifications for the program if the Bulls win: a place in the Top 25 for the first time in school history.

Long-time New York Daily News sportswriter Dick Weiss has covered the Big East since its inception and is a veteran voter in the AP Top 25 poll.

Here is what he had to say about USF’s chances of finally cracking the Top 25 after all these years:

“The win over Georgetown on the road was huge and should finally raise some eyebrows,’’ Weiss said Thursday via e-mail. “It certainly raised mine.

“Stan Heath is a deserving candidate for Big East coach of the year, Dominique Jones is on an all-time tear, and the Bulls have won four straight in league play, so that should also help the program jump onto the radar with national voters. I like what they’ve done in the non-league and fact they they are now 5-5 in the most dangerous league in the country.

“Let’s see how they do on this road trip to [Notre Dame] and Marquette. If they beat the Irish, I would seriously consider voting for them this week. If they win at Marquette—no easy task—that would be three road wins in a row.

“How can you leave them out at 17-7?’‘