Elena Tsineke led the Bulls with 19 points and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu added 15 points.
Game Details
(8) Wichita State 65, RV/20 (1) South Florida 53
USF (26-6), Wichita State (18-13)
Tuesday, March 7, 2023 | 1 p.m. ET | ESPN+
Fort Worth, Texas | Dickies Arena
Postgame Notes | Wichita State Quotes | South Florida Quotes
FORT WORTH, Texas (March 7, 2023) — For the first time in its 10 seasons in the American Athletic Conference the University of South Florida women’s basketball will not play in at least the conference tournament semifinal round as the top-seeded Bulls fell to eighth-seeded Wichita State, 65-53, in the quarterfinal of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Fort Worth, Texas Tuesday afternoon.
South Florida falls to 26-6 on the year while the Shockers improve to 18-13.
Wichita State scored the game’s first eight points and extended the lead to as many as 15 in the second quarter at 30-15. An 11-0 run brought the Bulls within two at 35-33 with 5:45 remaining in the third quarter, but that was as close as they would get, as Wichita State led by as many as 15 in the fourth.
Wichita State 47.1 percent from the field (24-51) and 46.2 percent from 3-point range (6-13), while holding South Florida to 31.7 percent shooting (19-60) and 4-of-22 from behind the arc (18.2 percent).
Elena Tsineke scored 19 points to lead the Bulls while Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu added 15 points in the loss.
Notable
- Tuesday’s starters for the Bulls were: G Elena Tsineke, G Aerial Wilson, F Sammie Puisis, F Carla Brito, and F Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu … South Florida is 24-6 with this lineup.
- South Florida improves to 25-39 all-time in conference tournament play and 17-9 in the American Athletic Conference Tournament.
- The loss to Wichita State drops the Bulls’ record against the Shockers to 7-3 in the all-time series and snaps South Florida’s seven-game winning streak.
- Elena Tsineke’s 19 points against Wichita State mark her 87th career double-figure scoring game in her 111th career game with the Bulls.
Catch The Bulls on Bulls Unlimited & ESPN+
All of South Florida’s American Athletic Conference Tournament games will be streamed live on the ESPN+ platform, with the championship game being caried live on ESPNU. The American and ESPN began a new 12-year television rights agreement which started in 2020-21. Subscriptions for the ESPN+ app are $9.99 monthly or $99.99 annually and can be packaged with Hulu and Disney+ streaming services. A step-by-step guide for subscribing to ESPN+ is located here.
In addition, all games this season will be broadcast live on USF Bulls Unlimited, with Darek Sharp (home and away) and Brigid Merenda (for home games only) on the call. Bulls Unlimited is available via the free Tune In app (search “Bulls Unlimited’’) and provides static-free quality whether you’re listening on your streaming device, laptop or desktop.
About USF Women’s Basketball
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South Florida recorded its 10th 20-win season during the 2021-22 campaign while playing in its sixth American Athletic Conference championship game in its nine years in the conference. The Bulls achieved their highest national ranking of the season when it checked in at No. 13 in the Nov. 30 Associated Press Top 25 Poll, and advanced to their seventh NCAA Tournament appearance in the last nine years.
USF has made 17 postseason tournament appearances and had eight NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez’s 22 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to 10 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship, and has won over 400 career games. Fernandez was named a finalist for the WBCA and semifinalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Awards. He was also tabbed the 2021 American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year at the conclusion of the 2020-21 campaign.
In 2021-22, the Bulls had three players recognized by The American for impressive seasons, including Elena Tsineke (All-Conference First Team), Bethy Mununga (All-Conference Second Team) and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (All-Conference Second Team).
In addition, Tsineke and Mununga were named to the American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team.
–#GoBulls –
