The Bulls equal their best start in program history, while also extending program record winning streak to 12 games.
Game Details
No. 12/15 USF 78, Tulane 69
USF (13-1, *11-0 AAC), Tulane (14-7, 10-6 AAC)
Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
* The American has declared a forfeit win for USF against Memphis for conference-standings purposes only as a result of the scheduled game from Jan. 17 that was not played. The teams’ overall records are not affected.
TAMPA (AP) (Feb. 20, 2021) — Bethy Mununga scored 17 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, and No. 12/15 South Florida pulled away from Tulane for a 78-69 victory on Saturday night at the Yuengling Center.
The Bulls improve to 13-1 on the year and 11-0* (see above) in the American Athletic Conference, USF’s regular-season record equals the best start in program history, joining the 2008-09 and 2016-17 teams. Also, the Bulls’ 12-game winning streak marks a program record.
Mununga’s double-double was the 18th of her career and her eighth of the season.
Sydni Harvey scored 16 points and Elena Tsineke 13 for South Florida. The Bulls have won three straight following a stretch of seven postponements and one cancellation due to COVID-19 protocols.
Arsula Clark made a pair of free throws to bring the Green Wave within 69-65 with 2:48 left. But Harvey sank a pair of foul shots and Elisa Pinzan and Mununga made layups in consecutive possessions and the Bulls were never threatened again.
Tulane led 21-18 after the first quarter, but Shae Leverett scored three layups in four possessions to start the second and the Bulls never trailed again. After a 30-all tie at intermission, Tsineke sank a 3-pointer and South Florida led the rest of the way.
Jerkaila Jordan scored 29 points for Tulane (14-7, 10-6). Clark scored 20 points and made all 12 of her foul shots. Dynah Jones had 12 points.
Tulane made 26 of 29 foul shots.
South Florida travels to Philadelphia to take on Temple on Wednesday.
USF athletics communications contributed to this story.
Key Stats
6 – USF recorded a season-low six turnovers while forcing Tulane into 14 miscues on the night …That margin led to a 19-4 points off turnover advantage.
81.3% – USF During the first three-quarters of the game, the Bulls were not their usual selves from the free-throw line, hitting just 50 percent (4-for-8) from the charity stripe … That problem, however, was solved when USF hit 81.3 percent (13-for-16) from the line in the crucial fourth quarter when the Bulls needed them the most and outscored Tulane, 24-18.
Notable
- The win over Tulane improves USF’s record in the all-time series against the Green Wave to 26-19, and 12-11 all-time in games played in Tampa … The Bulls have dominated Tulane, of late, having won 17 straight games, 20 of the last 21, and 21 of the last 23 games played.
- USF’s win over the Green Wave marked its 12th-straight victory extending its program record for consecutive wins … Coming into the day, the Bulls had the seventh-longest winning streak in America.
- USF’s win over Tulane also marks its 11th straight conference victory, also a new program record for consecutive conference wins.
- The Bulls’ 13-1 start marks just the third time during the Jose Fernandez coaching era (since the 2000-01 season) that the Bulls have won at least 13 games through their first 14 outings, equaling the best start in program history … They also accomplished the feat during the 2016-17 (13-1) and 2008-09 (13-1) campaigns, under Fernandez.
- Bethy Mununga’s 17 points and 17 rebounds against Tulane marked her 17th career double-double and the eighth of the season.
- Mununga’s 17 boards against the Green Wave is also the 28th double-figure rebounding performance in the Green and Gold.
- Mununga also recorded a career-high five steals against Tulane.
- Shae Leverett continues to move up the school’s career blocked shot and rebounding charts this season … With her one rejection against Tulane, Leverett currently has 96 blocks for her career and sits in sole possession of seventh place, just nine blocks from equaling Keira Rozier (1992-95) in sixth with 105.
- Also, Leverett fell one rebound shy of her eighth career double-double, recording 10 points and nine boards.
- Elena Tsineke netted 13 points off the bench in her first game back since facing the Green Wave on Jan 13 in New Orleans.
Up Next
The Bulls will close out their regular season with three of the final four games on the road, starting at Temple on Feb. 24 (3:30 p.m., ESPN+) and Houston on Feb. 27 (3 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
About USF Women’s Basketball
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USF notched its ninth consecutive 19-win season and was poised for its ninth straight postseason appearance in 2019-20 before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the end of the college basketball season. The Bulls celebrated two all-conference honorees in Elena Tsineke and Elisa Pinzan. Tsineke was named the American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, in addition to The American All-Freshman Team and Third Team All-Conference; while Pinzan was named a Third Team All-Conference selection.
USF has made 15 postseason tournament appearances and had six NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez’s 20 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.
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