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BULLS

No. 5-Seed Bulls Begin Play Today In Big East Tournament

By BRETT McMURPHY The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 22, 2007

TAMPA - Taking over a year after the University of South Florida's worst season in nine years, Coach Lelo Prado wasn't sure what to expect in his first season with the Bulls.

What has transpired has been a pleasant surprise for the Bulls - 32 wins (nine more than last season) and a fifth-place finish in the Big East.

"I thought we would have played better this year, but 32 wins and finishing fifth - I would have said I'd take that before the season," Prado said. "We had guys play better than I thought and guys that didn't play as well.

"For the first season, I'll take it. And we still have a chance to get to a regional tournament."

The fifth-seeded Bulls (32-24) play No. 4 seed Pittsburgh (27-25) today at 5 p.m. in the first round of the Big East Tournament in Brooklyn, N.Y. To receive an NCAA Tournament regional bid, the Bulls still have some work to do.

Despite having the league's third best RPI (52, according to WarrenNolan.com), Prado said the Bulls need a few more wins this week.

"We have to win some games here and if we do, we have a shot," Prado said. "Our RPI's going to be there, but we definitely have to win some games. If so, I think we might have a shot."

Third-seeded Louisville has the league's best RPI (40), followed by top-seeded St. John's (50). While the tournament champion receives the automatic bid, Prado believes Louisville, St. John's and second-seeded Rutgers (53 RPI) have done enough to earn at-large berths. Last season, Big East champion Notre Dame received the league's only NCAA bid.

"I think our league has a shot at three or four [NCAA] bids," Prado said. "We've got to win three games to get to 35 [wins]. Our power rating will be there. There are not a bunch of teams [nationally] with a lot of wins. We've had some great wins against some ranked teams."

If the Bulls win at least two games at the Big East Tournament, they'll have the most wins in a season since the 2002 team won 35 games.

Senior right-handers Danny Otero (8-7, 3.55 ERA) and Chris Delaney (8-4, 4.28 ERA) will start the Bulls' first two games of the double-elimination tournament. USF will face either St. John's or Connecticut on Wednesday.

Former closer Shawn Sanford (3-4, 3.03 ERA, 10 saves), who recently moved into the starting rotation, could return to his role as closer, but also could start USF's third game, Prado said.

"We got off to a great start [9-1] this season then hit a little adversity and didn't react very good to it," Prado said. "That's what's got to change [next season].

"This year was a good start. We've won nine more games than last year. We were eighth last year, we're fifth this year. We'll move forward from this and build on this."

ALL-BIG EAST: Otero was named to the All-Big East second team, while junior shortstop Walter Diaz and junior second baseman Dexter Butler were named to the third team. Diaz and Butler led USF, hitting .348 and .337, respectively.

BIG EAST BASEBALL TOURNAMENT

WHERE: KeySpan Park, Brooklyn, N.Y.

AT STAKE: Winner of the double-elimination tournament receives automatic bid to NCAA Tournament.

TODAY'S SCHEDULE: Game 1 - (3) Louisville, 38-18, vs. (6) Villanova, 28-23, 10 a.m.; Game 2 - (2) Rutgers, 36-18, vs. (7) Notre Dame 28-26, 1 p.m.; Game 3 - (4) Pittsburgh, 27-25, vs. (5) South Florida, 32-24, 5 p.m.; Game 4 - (1) St. John's, 39-15, vs. (5) Connecticut, 30-25, 8 p.m.; WEDNESDAY: Game 5 - Losers Games 1 vs. 2, 10 a.m.; Game 6 - Losers Games 3 vs. 4, 1 p.m.; Game 7 - Winners Games 1 vs. 2, 5 p.m.; Game 8 - Winners Games 3 vs. 4, 8 p.m. THURSDAY: Game 9 - Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 7, 4 p.m.; Game 10 - Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8, 7 p.m.; FRIDAY: Game 11 - Winners Games 7 vs. 9, 10 a.m.; Game 12 - Winners Games 8 vs. 10, 1 p.m.; Game 13 - Game 11 rematch if necessary, 5 p.m.; Game 14 - Game 12 rematch if necessary, 6:30/8 p.m.; SATURDAY: Championship, 1 p.m.

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928 or bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com