Game Details
Temple 69, USF 66
USF (10-7, 2-1 in AAC), Temple (11-6, 4-1 in AAC)
Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020 | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN3
Philadelphia | McGonigle Hall
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
PHILADELPHIA, JAN. 16, 2020 – Rallying USF dropped an 18-point deficit in the second half all the way down to two before its three-game winning streak was snapped with a 69-66 setback at Temple on Thursday night.
USF (10-7, 2-1 in AAC) got a career-high 20 points in another impressive performance from freshman Elena Tsineke. The freshman guard from Thessaloniki, Greece went 7-for-15 from the field and tied her career highs with four three-pointers and four rebounds.
Sydni Harvey finished in double figures for the third straight outing after scoring 14 of her 19 total points in the second half. The sophomore guard from Nashville, Tenn., scored nine points in USF’s red-hot fourth quarter and her jumper cut the Temple deficit to 66-64 with 1:46 remaining.
Temple (11-6, 4-1 in AAC) secured its fifth straight victory with three free throws in the final minute. Mia Davis powered the Owls with a game-high 25 points and eight boards in a conference clash that saw USF win the rebounding advantage by a 43-31 margin.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Tsineke boosted the Bulls to a 30-29 lead in a back-and-forth first half that ended with a 33-30 Temple advantage. Tsineke started 3-for-4 from long range and led the way early with 13 points.
The Owls outscored USF, 24-13, in the third quarter and jumped ahead by 18 before the Bulls regrouped with consecutive baskets by Beatriz Jordao (Pombal, Portugal) and Tsineke. Temple sank five threes and shot 50 percent from the field in the pivotal period.
No-quit USF flipped the script in the final quarter by outscoring Temple, 23-12, and initially got within two thanks to Tsineke’s fourth three-pointer of the game with 2:20 remaining. Harvey’s jumper kept it a two-point game less than a minute later, but Temple kept its winning streak going with free throws down the stretch.
Score By Quarters
1 2 3 4 F
USF 14 16 13 23 66
Temple 16 17 24 12 69
Quotable
Head coach Jose Fernandez on the Bulls’ setback after nearly rallying all the way back at Temple:
“We gotta value possessions more. We looked up at the board – 18 – and we started to play and got stops. That’s the thing, you can’t get this game back, especially in league play. It seemed like they got every loose ball and outhustled us to places, and it’s unfortunate… You gotta have short-term memory and put this one behind you.”
Notable
- Thursday’s starting lineup included forwards Bethy Mununga, Kristyna Brabencova, Tamara Henshaw, Elena Tsineke and Sydni Harvey.
- Elena Tsineke put together her ninth double-digit scoring performance in 12 outings with a career-high 20 points. The freshman guard matched career highs with four made three-pointers and four rebounds.
- Sophomore Sydni Harvey scored in double figures for the third straight game with 19 points.
- USF was one of three undefeated teams in league play heading into Thursday’s matchup.
- Temple snapped a four-game losing streak against the Bulls. USF now has a 12-3 lead in its all-time series with the Owls.
- USF won the battle with Temple on the boards, 43-31, and has outrebounded every opponent this season.
Up Next
USF returns to the Yuengling Center for a War on I-4 matchup with UCF that’s set for Sunday at 3 p.m. (TV: ESPN2).
Fans in attendance will receive a Slime Rally Towel and green afros. Reserve your seats at USFBullsTix.com or by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls.
About USF Women’s Basketball
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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 –
