AMERICAN CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 12, 2026

Michele Woods-Baxter

L'or Mputu

Legacy Arena At The BJCC

USF Bulls

Postgame Press Conference

UTSA 62, South Florida 51

THE MODERATOR: We are joined on the podium by South Florida head coach Michele Woods-Baxter and L'or Mputu.

MICHELE WOODS-BAXTER: Well, like I said, it was a tough loss for our seniors. I thought they had a really good year. I thought L'or had a really good year and Carla had a really good year as well. A couple who have been with our program for a long time.

And I give it to these players. I mean, today was tough. We obviously didn't come out and play like we wanted to play. I feel we're a much better team than what we've seen today, but I feel like they've been through a lot of adversity and they've handled it well. They still came out.

We were able to a win 20 games after having a very tough non-conference schedule. But like I said, I'm really proud of these young ladies for hanging in there and fighting through everything.

Q. Coach, you mentioned adversity. You guys were facing it today. Got it to within two. Do you feel like you had something going at that time and what happened that didn't complete that?

MICHELE WOODS-BAXTER: Yeah, I thought we held them to two and couldn't convert and we gave up some offensive rebounds. We did not rebound well at all today. I think we were outrebound by a lot and that didn't help. It gave them second-chance opportunities, and to get the ball back and we just didn't make plays down the stretch when we needed to.

Q. You have to ask this: Do you know if this is it for you guys this year or do you think there's a chance for another tournament?

MICHELE WOODS-BAXTER: I don't know yet. I would say probably not, but I'm not sure yet.

Q. Coach, your offense was kind of scuffling for the majority of the game. What exactly was the struggle for you guys tonight?

MICHELE WOODS-BAXTER: I don't know. I just didn't think we came out ready to play. We're usually a team that really moves and shares the ball, and I think it got stuck in our hands at times.

We're usually a better team at getting out and running and getting it up and we had a slow start. That just caused us to never really get a flow for the game, I guess.

Q. And L'or, when you look back at your time at USF, what are you going to remember?

L'OR MPUTU: I'll remember everything, my first coach here. I feel like I was in the family and I will never forget this place. It's been great to me.

Q. Coach, one last for you. I know you have the interim tag right now. Have there been any discussion about your future with the South Florida Bulls?

MICHELE WOODS-BAXTER: No, we haven't talked about it much. We have just been focused on playing and keeping the team together and trying to win some games along the way.

Q. Coach and L'or, what does the season mean to you guys?

MICHELE WOODS-BAXTER: Of course, like I said, it meant a lot. I was very proud of these girls for sticking together through adversity. José left so late in the game. We had our game like a week and a half after he had left and then we got thrown into a pretty difficult schedule in non-conference, and I thought they did a good job sticking together.

I thought my coaching staff, we were shorthanded. It was sort of hard to hire people that late in a game and, you know, I thought we went out and we gave it our all. Our players gave it their all.

And, yeah, Like I said, it didn't end how we wanted it to, but overall, I think it's been a pretty successful year for us.