The meeting with the Bulldogs is the third of the season against a No. 1 seed from the 2019 NCAA Tourney.
TAMPA (Dec. 18, 2019) – USF heads back on the road as the Bulls head west to take part in the Duel in the Desert at Cox Pavilion at UNLV. USF will face No. 15/15 Mississippi State on Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. ET, and either the host Lady Rebels or Virginia on Dec. 21 (3/5 p.m.). The meeting with the Bulldogs is the third game this season, for the Bulls, against a No. 1 seed from the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
GAME 12 | THUR., DEC. 19, 2019 | 7 P.M. ET | LAS VEGAS, NEV. | COX PAVILION
Live Stats | Watch Live | Listen Live
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: FloHoops.com ($) (GoUSFBulls.com)
Kit McConnico (PxP), Tom James (Analyst)
Audio: Bulls Unlimited (iHeartRadio/GoUSFBulls.com)
Darek Sharp (PxP)
Live Stats: GoUSFBulls.com
Series: Series tied, 1-1
Twitter Updates: @USFWBB
Tickets: (702) 739-FANS (3267); UNLVTickets.com
-/RV USF BULLS | 7-4
Last Game: Dec. 15 vs. Idaho, W, 67-64
Next Game: Dec. 21 vs. UNLV/Virginia, 3/5 p.m. ET
Head Coach: Jose Fernandez
Alma Mater: FIU, 1994
Career Record: 361-263 (20th season)
at USF: Same
NO. 15/15 MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS | 9-2
Last Game: Dec. 16 at Louisiana, W, 64-48
Next Game: Dec. 21 vs. UNLV/Virginia, 3/5 p.m. ET
Head Coach: Vic Schaefer
Alma Mater: Texas A&M, 1984
Career Record: 283-168 (15th Season)
at Mississippi State: 203-58 (Eighth season)
QUICK HITS
– The meeting with Mississippi State marks the third meeting this season against a No. 1 seed from the 2019 NCAA Tournament … The Bulls also faced No. 2/2 Baylor and Notre Dame.
– USF is coming off a 67-64 come-from-behind win over Idaho on Dec. 15 … Maria Alvarez led the Bulls with 14 points, 12 coming in the fourth quarter … Shae Leverett had 13 points, and Elena Tsineke and Kristyna Brabencova had 12 and 10, respectively.
– USF has three players – Elena Tsineke (12.6), Bethy Mununga (10.4) and Maria Alvarez (10.2) – who are averaging double-figure points and three others who are netting no less than 7.9 points per game.
TICKET & PROMOTION INFORMATION
– For ticket questions or to purchase tickets, please visit USFBullsTix.com or call 1-800-GoBulls … Single-game tickets are available; however; courtside seats are sold out for the 2019-20 season.
– After the holiday break, the Bulls will return to the Yuengling Center on Dec. 30 for a 5:30 p.m. matchup with Brown University, for their “New Year’s Eve Celebration” … Fans can post New Year’s resolutions on the resolutions board and fans 21 years or older can partake in the Champagne Bar.
UP NEXT FOR USF
– Following their game against Mississippi State in the first round of the Duel in the Desert, the Bulls will take on either the host UNLV or Virginia on Dec. 21 (3/5 p.m. ET) to close out the two-game, three-day event.
– The Bulls will return to action following the holiday break, when Brown visits the Yuengling Center on Dec. 30 at 5:30 p.m. … USF will close out its short post-holiday home stretch when it opens American Athletic Conference play against Cincinnati on Jan. 5 at 2 p.m.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE BULLS
– In just six games, Elena Tsineke has already made her presence felt for the Bulls after being cleared to play by the NCAA … Tsineke missed the first five games of the season after being ruled ineligible by the NCAA … A native of Greece, Tsineke leads the team in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game … She has scored double figures in five of the six games she has played, including a career-high 19 points against Florida Gulf Coast on Nov. 29 in the Cancun Challenge … She is shooting 42.4 percent (25-for-59) from the field, including 34.5 percent (10-for-29) from behind the arc, and 88.2 percent (15-for-17) from the free-throw line.
– Bethy Mununga comes into Thursday’s game averaging just shy of a double-double through the first 10 games she has played this season … Her 10.4 points per game and 9.5 rebounds per outing are second and first on the team, respectively … She has scored in double figures in six of USF’s 11 games, including a career-high 16 points against Baylor to go along with a career-high tying 12 rebounds … She’s shooting 55.6 percent (45-for-81) from the field on the year.
– Freshman Maria Alvarez moved into third on the team in scoring after her game-high 18-point performance against Alabama State on Dec. 6 … She is also second in assists, dropping 3.1 dimes per game … She recorded a career afternoon, pouring in 20 points against VCU on Nov. 15 … Alvarez is coming off a 14-point effort against Idaho, on Dec. 15, with 12 of her 14 points coming in the fourth quarter on 4-for-4 shooting … She drained back-to-back threes in the last two minutes of the game to secure the win over the Vandals.
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
– Mississippi State, boasting a 9-2 record, comes into Thursday’s game against the Bulls ranked No. 15 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll and No. 15 in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll … The Bulldogs won their first eight games, however have dropped two of their last three with those two coming against then-No. 3 ranked Stanford (67-62) on Nov. 30, and to West Virginia (71-63) on Dec. 8.
– Jessika Carter leads three players in double figures in the scoring column, averaging 14.0 points per game … Jordan Danberry and Rickea Jackson join her, netting 13.3 and 11.3 points per outing, respectively … Carter also leads the team on the glass, grabbing 10.7 rebounds per contest.
THE SERIES AGAINST THE BULLDOGS
– Thursday’s game marks the third meeting between USF and Mississippi State with the all-time series tied at one-apiece.
– The two teams first met in the WNIT quarterfinals in Starkville on March 30, 2014, with the Bulls coming out on top, 60-58 … USF lost in the semifinals to Rutgers, in Tampa, 62-52 … Two seasons later, Mississippi State handed the Bulls a 68-58 loss during the SEC/AAC Challenge in Starkville.
LAST TIME OUT
– Maria Alvarez drained back-to-back three-point shots late in the fourth quarter to help the USF erase a five-point Idaho advantage, with two minutes left in the game, as the Bulls pulled out a thrilling 67-64 come-from-behind win over the Vandals on Dec. 15 at home.
– Alvarez finished the game with a team-high 14 points, with 12 of the 14 coming in the crucial fourth quarter, on perfect 4-for-4 shooting … All four of her field goal attempts in the fourth came from behind the three-point arc.
– In addition to Alvarez’s double figures, Shae Leverett scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and Elena Tsineke added 12 points … Leverett’s nine boards brought her to 400 for her career … Cristina Bermejo chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds in the win, both career highs.
– Tamara Henshaw and Kristina Brabencova grabbed 12 and 11 rebounds, respectively, with Brabencova’s 11 boards marking a career-high … The Bulls controlled the glass, outrebounding Idaho, 51-30, including a 22-8 advantage on the offensive end.
About USF Women’s Basketball
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF women’s basketball news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
USF notched its eighth consecutive 19-win season and eighth straight postseason appearance in 2018-19. The Bulls celebrated two all-conference honorees in Enna Pehadzic and Sydni Harvey.
USF has made 15 postseason tournament appearances and had six NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez’s 19 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to nine 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship and won more than 350 games.
– #GoBulls –
