ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The non-conference portion of the Navy women's basketball team's schedule will conclude on Sunday when the Mids match up on the road versus the University of South Florida Bulls. With final exams behind them and Patriot League action ahead starting on December 31, the Mids (6-4) will be tasked on Sunday with taking on a Bulls (6-6) club that has played one of the most difficult non-conference schedules this season with four games versus teams ranked in the top-13, including previous matchups versus Vanderbilt and South Carolina just this week. Sunday's matchup on the hardwood will be the first-ever between the two programs that meet regularly on the gridiron as football-playing members of the American Athletic Conference. Tip-off at the Yuengling Center is set for 1 p.m.

The Navy-South Florida game will have live stats provided online, as well as be broadcast on the ESPN+ platform. ESPN+ is a subscription-based streaming service that requires patrons to sign-up for monthly or yearly plans prior to tuning into the contest. 

Navy vs. South Florida / American Athletic Conference / State of Florida
The Mids and Bulls have never met before in a women's basketball contest ... Navy has played fellow American Athletic Conference members a total of six times and is 3-3 all-time; East Carolina (W, 57-48, 11/30/12); Florida Atlantic (W, 68-64, 11/18/05); North Texas (L, 56-45, 11/11/07); Rice (L, 63-52, 11/9/07); Temple (W, 74-69, 11/21/80) and UTSA (L, 69-57, 11/27/09) ... The Mids have played 18 games in the Sunshine State and have a winning record of 11-7 ... Navy's most recent game in the state of Florida came against Stetson on Jan. 2, 2007; the Mids were victorious 61-56 over the Hatters ... Early this season on Nov. 16, Navy defeated the University of Florida in Annapolis by a score of 69-54.
    All Matchups versus American Athletic Conference Foes ...
    Nov. 21, 1980 (N): Navy 74 - Temple 69  **Virginia Tip-Off, Charlottesville    
    Nov. 18, 2005 (A): Navy 68 - Florida Atlantic 64
    Nov. 9, 2007 (N): Rice 63 - Navy 52  **Winthrop Classic, Rock Hill, S.C.
    Nov. 11, 2007 (N): North Texas 56 - Navy 45  **Winthrop Classic, Rock Hill, S.C.
    Nov. 27, 2009 (A): UTSA 69 - Navy 57
    Nov. 30, 2012 (H): Navy 57 - East Carolina 48

Comparing the Teams

(2025-26 Stats)	Navy	South Florida
Record / League-Only	6-4 / 0-0 PL	6-6 / 0-0 AAC
Home / Away / Neutral Record	5-2 / 1-2	5-2 / 0-1 / 1-3
Points Per Game	68.7 PPG	67.8 PPG
Points Allowed Per Game	63.8 PPG	73.0 PPG
Field Goal Percentage	40.6 %	41.2 %
3-Point Percentage	29.7 %	28.0 %
Free Throw Percentage	67.3 %	75.7 %
Rebounds Per Game	41.7 RPG	39.1 RPG
Assists/Turnovers Per Game	15.7 / 16.9	13.7 / 15.6

Individual Leaders

(2025-26 Stats)	Navy	South Florida
Points Per Game	Zanai Barnett-Gay, 17.3 ppg	Edyn Battle, 14.2 ppg
Rebounds Per Game	Z. Barnett-Gay, 8.5 rpg	L'or Mputu, 8.5 rpg
Assists Per Game	Z. Barnett-Gay 3.9 apg	Stefanie Ingram, 5.5 apg
Field Goal Percentage	Kate Samson, 52.5 %	L. Mputu, 46.3 %
3-Point Percentage	Saran Moschella, 43.5 %	S. Ingram, 40.5 %
Free Throw Percentage	Z. Barnett-Gay, 75.9 %	L. Mputu, 83.3 %

Last Time Out -- Sunday, December 14 vs. Christopher Newport at Annapolis
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – In the midst of final exams week, the Navy women's basketball team stepped back on the hardwood on Sunday afternoon and rolled over Christopher Newport with a well-rounded team effort that saw all 15 players on its roster record at least one point, rebound and/or assist as part of a dominant 82-47 victory. The Mids' (6-4) success from throughout its roster versus the Captains (8-2) allowed them to put an end to their brief three-game losing streak.

Zanai Barnett-Gay paced all players on Sunday with a game-high 13 points to go along with six rebounds, three steals and two assists in 22 minutes of action. Kate Samson was extremely efficient in her 12-minute appearance as she scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds on shooting 5-7 from the field. Off the bench, Mary Gibbons and Nia Henley combined for 22 points as Gibbons knocked down four three-pointers for 12 points, while Henley was active on both ends of the court with 10 points, three offensive rebounds and four steals.

One of the most decorated DIII programs in recent history, Christopher Newport came into Sunday with a 118-8 record over its past four-plus seasons. The Captains were using the contest as an exhibition, while the Mids counted it as one of their regular season games.

CNU was up to the task early as the game was knotted 4-4 through 2:15 of play. Navy never allowed its opponent to move out into the lead on Sunday as the Mids responded to this early tie with 16 unanswered points starting with a Maren Louridas offensive rebound and putback at 7:01 and culminated with a Mary Gibbons three-pointer, her second of the run, at 1:15. In-between those baskets, Quinn Boettinger and Barnett-Gay each added four points. Following a three-pointer by CNU's Elizabeth Creed, Samson sank back-to-back field goals to send Navy into the quarter break up 24-7. As a team, the Mids shot 50.0 percent (11-22), while the Captains were held to just a 23.1 percent (3-13) mark.

Navy leaned on the depth of its bench to start the second quarter as Sidney Quinn and Henley combined to record the team's first 10 points as the hosts bolted out to a 23-point lead of 34-11 by the under-five media timeout at 4:58. Newly inserted after that break, Samson helped the Mids increase their advantage out to 24 with consecutive baskets, to make it 36-12 and later 38-14. Christopher Newport gathered itself down the stretch of the period and cut its deficit to 19, 42-23 prior to the halftime intermission.

The Mids left nothing up for debate in the second half as they came out in the third quarter and recorded a game-high 26 points. Sharp-shooting from three-point range and an imposing defensive effort that resulted in seven turnovers and a 12-0 mark in points off those miscues sprung this offensive explosion. In the frame, Gibbons knocked down a pair of treys with Louridas, Henley and Saran Moschella all adding single makes from long distance. A 14-2 run kick-started the third stanza to build up a 57-25 lead at 5:14 before twice going up 34, 65-31 at 1:52 and 68-34 with 20 seconds left.

Navy comfortably sailed to victory in the fourth quarter as its lead bounded between 38 points (74-36) at 6:19 following a Barnett-Gay driving layup and 31(76-45) when CNU's Mia Wilson hit a three-pointer at 2:32. Five points down the stretch by Moschella pushed the Mids over the 80-point plateau and sealed the 82-47 win at Alumni Hall.

For the game, Navy out-shot CNU, 47.7 percent (31-65) to 34.0 (17-50) from the field, though the Captains were more accurate from three-point range, 37.5 percent (6-16) to 31.0 (9-29) and from the foul line, 70.0 percent (7-10) to 61.1 (11-18).

Navy won the rebounding battle, 41-31 on the strength of a 17-9 edge in offensive caroms. Samson and Barnett-Gay tied for the team-high with six rebounds each. Boettinger was one off the team lead with five boards on Sunday.

The Mids had excellent ball movement with 21 assists on 31 made baskets. Mesuch was the leading facilitator for Navy with a career-high four helpers. Overall, 11 different players recorded assists versus CNU.

Defensively, the Mids forced the Captains into 26 turnovers and were credited with 16 steals. Henley led all players with a career-high four steals. Additionally, Barnett-Gay and Kelli Giuliani grabbed three steals each.