Pinzan was one of three players in double-digits, joining Elena Tsineke and Shae Leverett who netted 10 points apiece.
Game Details
No. 16/16 South Florida 69, Stetson 50
USF (7-3), Stetson (6-5)
Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | 11 a.m. | ESPN+
Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
TAMPA (AP) (Dec. 15, 2021) — Elisa Pinzan scored all 12 of her points in the first half, Shae Leverett had 10 points and nine rebounds and No. 16 South Florida beat Stetson 69-50 on Wednesday.
Elena Tsineke also scored all 10 of her points before halftime to help the Bulls lead 37-25 after closing on a 16-2 run over the last four-plus minutes. Pinzan started the run with two 3-pointers and Leverett scored four points.
USF pulled away in the fourth quarter as Stetson missed 15 straight shots, starting late in the third.
Leverett was 3 of 3 from the field and 4 of 4 at the free-throw line for South Florida (7-3). Bethy Mununga, who grabbed her 700th career rebound against VCU on Sunday, added six points and nine rebounds. Pinzan was named the American Athletic Conference player of the week on Monday after scoring 24 points against VCU.
Tippy Robertson scored 12 points for Stetson (6-5). Kiya Turner added 11 points. The Hatters were held to 31.6% shooting and turned it over 17 times, which led to 19 South Florida points.
It was USF’s first home game since Nov. 11. The Bulls will host High Point on Friday, followed by games against West Virginia and Mississippi next week in the West Palm Beach Invitational.
Story courtesy of Associated Press. USF athletics communications contributed to this recap.
Notable
- Wednesday’s starters for the Bulls were: G Elisa Pinzan, G Sydni Harvey, W Sara Guerreiro, F Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, and F Patience Williams … The Bulls are 1-0 with this lineup.
- Sara Guerreiro and Patience Williams got their first career starts in a South Florida uniform on Wednesday.
- The meeting with Stetson marked the 36h meeting all-time between the two schools … The win improves the Bulls record in the all-time series to 26-10 following their 69-50 win … South Florida has won 14 straight games against the Hatters.
- The win over Stetson marked USF head coach Jose Fernandez’s 399th of his career, one shy of 400 for his career … In his 22nd year as head coach of the Bulls, Fernandez’s career coaching record is 399-279.
Up Next
South Florida closes out the short home two-game stretch on Friday against reigning Big South Conference Champion High Point at 7 p.m.
Following the meeting with High Point, South Florida will hit the road again, heading south to take part in the West Palm Invitational at Keiser University in West Palm Beach, Fla., Dec. 20-21. The Bulls will open the event against former BIG EAST Conference foe, West Virginia, on Dec. 20 before closing out the event against Ole Miss on Dec. 21. Both games tip-off at 1:15 p.m.
South Florida will close out its 2021-22 nonconference slate on Dec. 29 at the Yuengling Center against Jacksonville. Tip-off is slated for 4 p.m.
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 –
