Alvarez paced the fourth quarter comeback with 12 points on 4-for-4 shooting in the final 10 minutes; Shae Leverett grabs 400th career rebound in the win,
Game Details
-/RV USF 67, Idaho 64
USF (7-4), Idaho (4-4)
Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019 | 1 p.m.
Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
TAMPA (Dec. 15, 2019) – Maria Alvarez drained back-to-back three-point shots late in the fourth quarter to help the University of South Florida women’s basketball team erase a five-point Idaho advantage, with two minutes left in the game, as the Bulls pulled out a thrilling 67-64 come-from-behind win over the Vandals on Sunday afternoon at the Yuengling Center. The win improves USF to 7-4 on the year while Idaho evens its record at 4-4.
Alvarez, a freshman guard from Miami, finished the game with a team-high 14 points, with 12 of the 14 coming in the crucial fourth quarter, on perfect 4-for-4 shooting. All four of her field goal attempts in the fourth came from behind the three-point arc.
The Bulls trailed for better than 37 minutes in the game, and by five points, 64-59, with 3:20 left, when the Vandals’ Lizzie Klinker converted a three-point play for three of her game-high 15 points.
After exchanging turnovers and missed field goals, Alvarez took a pass from Sydni Harvey (Nashville, Tenn.) and connected on a deep three to cut the Idaho lead to two points, 64-62, with two minutes left in the contest. The Bulls defense then forced the Vandals into their seventh and final turnover of the game, leading to Harvey and Alvarez teaming up again. The Bulls went up for good, 65-64, with just over one-minute left, as Alvarez converted on a fade-away three, falling into the Bulls’ bench, off Harvey’s third assist of the day.
USF added two important free throws by Tsineke, with four seconds left, leading to the final outcome. The Vandals had one last opportunity to tie the game, however, their attempt bounced off the rim at the buzzer.
In addition to Alvarez’s double figures, Shae Leverett (Rincon, Ga.) scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and Elena Tsineke (Thessaloniki, Greece) added 12 points. Leverett’s nine boards brought her to 400 for her career. Cristina Bermejo (Sant Just Desvern, Spain) chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds in the win, both career highs.
Tamara Henshaw (Palm Coast, Fla.) and Kristina Brabencova (Brno, Czech Republic) grabbed 12 and 11 rebounds, respectively, with Brabencova’s 11 boards marking a career-high. The Bulls controlled the glass, outrebounding Idaho, 51-30, including a 22-8 advantage on the offensive end.
Score By Quarters
1 2 3 4 F
USF 16 15 19 17 67
Idaho 23 10 19 12 64
Key Stats
4-4 – Entering the fourth quarter Maria Alvarez was 0-for-5 from the field, however, went 4-for-4 – with all four made field goals coming from behind the arc – for 12 points in the final 10 minutes of the game.
Notable
- Today’s starters for the Bulls were: G Maria Alvarez, G Elena Tsineke, W Enna Pehadzic (Horsens, Denmark), C Beatriz Jordao (Pombal, Portugal), F Tamara Henshaw … The Bulls are 1-0 with this lineup.
- Sunday’s game was the first meeting between USF and Idaho.
- USF’s 51 team rebounds mark the fourth time this season, and the second-straight game, where the Bulls have grabbed 50-plus rebounds in a game.
- USF improves to 35-2 in nonconference games at home over its last 37 games, spanning five-plus years … USF has won 20 straight nonconference games, and 32 of its last 33, with the only loss coming to Louisville during the 2016-17 season.
- Maria Alvarez’s 14 points marks her sixth double-figure scoring performance of her short collegiate career (11 games).
- Christina Bermejo’s career-high 10 points are her first points scored since the season opener when she netted two against Jacksonville (Nov. 5) … Also, her career-best five rebounds surpass her previous high of four, also set against the Dolphins.
- Kristyna Brabencova’s career-high 11 rebounds surpass her previous bests of five set against Jacksonville (Nov. 5) and Howard (Nov. 12).
- Sydni Harvey saw her first action of the season after missing the first the 10 games due to injury … She finished with eight points on 3-of-5 shooting and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line … She also has three assists and two steals.
- Tamara Henshaw played in her 112th career game on Sunday against Idaho … She is just one game shy of tying Alana Tanksley (2001-05) for 14th all-time in program history, and three games shy of joining Nalini Miller (2003-07) and Jasmine Wynne (2008-12) in 12th with 115 games played.
Up Next
USF closes out their games before the holiday break at the Duel in the Desert, Dec. 19-21, in Las Vegas … The Bulls will take on 2019 NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed Mississippi State on Dec. 19 (7 p.m. ET) and either the host UNLV or Virginia on Dec. 21 (3/5 p.m. ET).
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 –
