Women's Basketball Set To Host Spartan Challenge
TAMPA, Fla. – The 20th ranked University of Tampa women's basketball team tips off the 2015-16 season Friday night as they host the Spartan Challenge Tournament. Union University, University of West Florida, and Rollins College join the Spartans in the tournament. Union enters the season as the 13th ranked team, while West Florida is receiving votes in the WBCA/USA Today Sports Preseason Top 25 women's basketball poll.
Tampa finished the 2014-15 season with a 17-11 record. The Spartans concluded their season in the SSC tournament, as they fell to the Nova Southeastern Sharks in the semifinals. Tampa returns a bulk of its team, as eight players return from last year's roster, including Juliana Cavallaro, Taylor McVey, and Ellen Nurmi. UT also added six new players to the roster, including guards Elena de Alfredo and Jenny Horvatinovic.
On Friday, Tampa opens up against West Florida at 7 p.m. The Spartans and the Argonauts have met six times previously, as each team has won three contest in the series. The last time these two teams faced off was in the 2013-14 season, when UT defeated UWF in the NCAA South Region Tournament. Last season West Florida fell in the NCAA South Region Semifinal, where they lost to Union.
On Saturday, the Spartans square off in a top-20 battle, as they host the Union University Bulldogs. This matchup will be the first matchup between the two schools, as Union became a full-time NCAA Division II member just last year. In their first year of full membership, the Bulldogs made it to the NCAA South Region Final, where they fell to the NSU Sharks.
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Team Stats
#13 Union (Tenn.)
| Game Statistics | #13 Union (Tenn.) | #20 Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (22-62) | (19-52) |
| Field Goal % | 35.5% | 36.5% |
| Rebounds | 41 | 34 |
| Assists | 10 | 15 |
| Turnovers | 8 | 10 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 13 | 0 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 9 | 6 |
| Pts in the Paint | 24 | 20 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 2 | 0 |
| Bench Pts | 5 | 12 |
West Florida
| Game Statistics | West Florida | #20 Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (18-57) | (32-58) |
| Field Goal % | 31.6% | 55.2% |
| Rebounds | 35 | 34 |
| Assists | 14 | 22 |
| Turnovers | 17 | 10 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 11 | 14 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 9 | 4 |
| Pts in the Paint | 16 | 38 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 0 | 2 |
| Bench Pts | 13 | 6 |
