Tsineke and Mununga poured in 22 and 21 points, respectively, while Mununga added 12 rebounds in the win.
Game Details
No. 22 South Florida 70, Jacksonville 57
USF (10-4), Jacksonville (7-4)
Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021 | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
Photo (Credit Stephen Galvin/USF Athletics Communications) – Elena Tsineke drives to the basket during the University of South Florida women’s basketball team’s game against Jacksonville on Dec. 29, 2021. Tsineke scored a game-high 22 points in a 70-57 win.
TAMPA (AP) (Dec. 29, 2021) — Elena Tsineke scored 22 points, Bethy Mununga had 21 points and 12 rebounds and No. 22 South Florida led from the outset in beating Jacksonville 70-57 on Wednesday.
Tsineke scored 16 first-half points when the Bulls (10-4) built a double-digit first-half lead that it maintained except when the Dolphins got within nine late in the fourth quarter. She finished 8-of-14 shooting, making three 3-pointers. Mununga posted her fourth double-double this season. Maria Alvarez scored 12 points, all off 3-pointers. Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu grabbed 11 rebounds to go with eight points.
Taylor Hawks scored 17 points and Asiah Jones 10 to lead the Dolphins (7-4), playing their first game since Dec. 13. Jacksonville outshot USF overall but the Bulls were 9-of-21 from the arc to the Dolphins’ 2-of-12 and won the boards 40-26.
The teams combined to make 22 of 23 free throws with USF making all 13, including eight by Mununga.
USF carried a double-digit lead into the second half and built it to 16 on a Alvarez 3-pointer before Jacksonville cut it to 13 entering the final period.
The Dolphins were within three points when the Bulls went on a 12-4 run to end the first half and lead 44-33.
Before to the game with Jacksonville, the Bulls honored head coach Jose Fernandez for his 400th career win, achieved on Dec. 17. The ceremony included video tributes from the likes of UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, Tulane head coach Lisa Stockton, ESPN and CBS Sports analyst Debbie Antonelli, and USF Hall of Famer – and WNBA All-Star – Courtney Williams, among others.
Story courtesy of Associated Press. USF athletics communications contributed to this recap.
Stat of the Day
13-for-13=1.000 – South Florida, who came into the game shooting 75 percent from the free-throw line on the year, shot a perfect 13-for-13 from the charity stripe against the Dolphins in the win … The Bulls’ perfect shooting performance is just the third in school history with more than 10 free throws made and attempted, and tied for the second-best behind the 15-for-15 outing against FIU on Dec. 17, 2017 … South Florida also went 13-for-13 against Ohio State on Feb. 11, 2018.
Notable
- Wednesday’s starters for the Bulls were: G Elisa Pinzan, G Sara Guerreiro, W Elena Tsineke, F Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, and F Bethy Mununga … The Bulls are 1-0 with this lineup.
- With the 70-57 win over Jacksonville, the Bulls improve their record to 15-0 against the Dolphins in the all-time series and 12-0 at home.
- Elena Tsineke’s game-high 22 points against Jacksonville was her 42nd career double-figure scoring game in her 61st career game.
- Bethy Mununga recorded her 43rd career double-figure rebounding game with her game-high 12 rebounds against Jacksonville … In addition, she also recorded her 24th career double-double.
- Mununga’s 21 points fell just shy of her career-high marker of 23 points set against East Carolina on Jan. 2, 2021 … It was just her second 20-point performance.
Up Next
With the 2021 nonconference schedule in the rear-view mirror, South Florida will now turn its attention to American Athletic Conference play, which begins on Sunday when Memphis visits the Yuengling Center. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. The game against the Tigers is one of only two home games that South Florida will play during the first five games of conference play, joining Wichita State on Jan. 9 at 2 p.m. (ESPNU).
For tickets call (800) Go-Bulls or head to USFBullsTix.com.
About USF Women’s Basketball
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USF recorded its best season in program history during the 2020-21 campaign, all while navigating the unpredictable COVID-19 landscape. In doing so, the Bulls won their first-ever American Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles, and posted their highest ranking in the Associated Press Top25 poll – reaching as high as No. 12 – and made their ninth straight postseason appearance, and sixth NCAA appearance in the last 10 years.
USF has made 16 postseason tournament appearances and had seven NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez’s 21 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 nearly 400 career games. For his efforts on the sideline during the 2020-21 season, 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.
The Bulls posted a 19-4 record and had five players, during the 2020-21 campaign, the Bulls had five players recognized by The American for impressive seasons, including Elisa Pinzan (Most Improved Player, All-Conference Second Team), Maria Alvarez (Co-Sixth Player of the Year), Bethy Mununga (All-Conference First Team), Elena Tsineke (All-Conference First Team), and Sydni Harvey (All-Conference Third Team).
In addition, Harvey was named the American Athletic Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player and to the All-Tournament Team, while Mununga and Tsineke were also All-Tournament selections.
– #GoBulls –
