The sophomore guard recorded the program’s 60th 30-point game all-time, and first since 2018-19.
Game Details
No. 18/19 USF 66, Wichita State 48
USF (8-1, 5-0 AAC), Wichita State (3-5, 0-3 AAC)
Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
TAMPA (AP) (Jan. 6, 2021) — On a date that is very much associated with Greek heritage worldwide, and the Feast of the Epiphany, it was extremely fitting that one of its native daughters had the biggest night of her collegiate career.
Elena Tsineke, a 5-foot-8 sophomore guard from Thessaloniki, Greece, made five 3-pointers and scored a career-high 31 points to lead No. 18/19 South Florida to a 66-48 victory over Wichita State on Wednesday night in the Yuengling Center.
South Florida (8-1, 5-0 American Athletic Conference) has won seven straight and will play its third game in eight days, hosting Houston in a rescheduled game on Saturday.
Tsineke was 11 of 16 from the field. Tsineke matched her previous career best of 25 points with 4:33 left in the third quarter and did not play the last five minutes of the game.
Kristyna Brabencova (Brno, Czech Republic) added 10 points for the Bulls, and Maria Alvarez (Bal Harbour, Fla.) chipped in with nine points in the win.
Asia Strong had 17 points and seven rebounds for Wichita State (3-5, 0-3), which shot 14 of 48 (29%) overall. Ene Adams had 10 points.
The Bulls outscored Wichita State 12-3 in the first quarter and built a 27-18 halftime lead with Tsineke scoring 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting. The Shockers pulled to 44-34 with 1:30 left in the third, but the Bulls answered with a 14-0 run and led 58-34 with 7:45 remaining.
USF athletics communications contributed to this story.
Key Stat
50 – Of the Bulls’ 66 points scored against the Shockers, 60 of them came from three players on USF’s roster … In addition to Tsineke’s career high 31 points, Kristyna Brabencova and Maria Alvarez added 10 and nine points, respectively in the win, which accounted for 50 of the Bulls 66 points.
Notable
- Wednesday’s starters for the Bulls were: G Elisa Pinzan (Murano, Italy), G Sydni Harvey (Nashville, Tenn., C Shae Leverett (Rincon, Ga.), W Maria Alvarez (Bal Harbour, Fla.), and F Bethy Mununga (Zellik, Belgium) … The Bulls are 1-0 with this lineup.
- The win over Wichita State improved USF’s record in the all-time series to 3-2, and 2-0 all-time in games played in the Yuengling Center.
- USF’s 8-1 start marks just the fifth time during the Jose Fernandez coaching era (since the 2000-01 season) that the Bulls have won at least eight games through their first nine outings … They also accomplished the feat during the 2016-17, 2012-13, 2008-09 and 2006-07 seasons.
- Elene Tsineke’s career high 31-point outburst was the 60th all-time 30-point game in program history, and the first since Enna Pehadzic scored 35 points on Feb. 20, 2019 against East Carolina.
- Shae Leverett continues to move up the school’s career blocked shot and rebounding charts … Despite not blocking any shots against the Shockers, Leverett’s 90 blocked shots is just three rejections shy of equaling Courtney Williams (2012-16) in seventh place on the school’s career list with 93 … In addition, Leverett continues to move up the school’s career rebounding chart … Against Wichita State, Leverett’s five rebounds against the Shockers give her 577, 18th on USF’s career rebounding list, just three behind ChiChi Okpaleke (2004-08) and her 580 in 17th place.
- Elisa Pinzan’s nine assists marks the 28th time in her USF career that she has handed out five or more assists, and it’s tied for her second most.
Up Next
The Bulls will close out what turned into an unexpected three-game homestand, on Saturday, Jan. 9 (7 p.m.), when Houston visits the Yuengling Center. The game was originally scheduled for Dec. 19, however was postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the Cougars’ program.
Following the Houston game, USF will travel to The Big Easy to face Tulane on Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+). The game against the Green Wave will be the first of three, in a four-game stretch, that USF will play on the road, along with dates at Wichita State on Jan. 20 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+) and at East Carolina on Jan. 23 (1 p.m., ESPN+). The lone home contest during that stretch will be a nationally televised game against Memphis on Jan. 17 (4 p.m.) on ESPNU.
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.
– #GoBulls –
