Sydni Harvey pours in 22 points, including 16 in the first quarter, to pace the Bulls.
Game Details
No. 21/22 USF 72, Alabama State 37
USF (2-0), Alabama State (0-2)
Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
TAMPA (AP) (Nov. 11, 2021) — Sydni Harvey scored 16 of her 22 points in the first quarter to lead No. 21 South Florida in a 72-37 rout of Alabama State on Thursday night.
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu added 14 points and three steals for South Florida (2-0). Maria Alvarez scored 10 points.
Harvey made all four of her 3-point attempts in the first quarter as the Bulls built a 21-5 lead and pushed it to 39-14 at intermission. She was 7 of 11 from the field and 6 of 8 from long range overall.
South Florida used an 8-0 run over a four minutes stretch and a 15-3 run in just under six minutes, in the first quarter, to take control of the contest from the get-go. The Bulls shot an impressive 62.5 percent (6 of 8) from behind the three-point arc in the first 10 minutes and never looked back. The Green and Gold eventually extended their lead to as many as 42 points with 8:45 left in the contest on an Aerial Wilson layup.
Ayana Emmanuel scored 12 points for Alabama State (0-2).
The Bulls honored alum and WNBA All-Star, Courtney Williams during the game. Williams, who led the Bulls to four straight 20-win seasons (2012-16), will be inducted into the USF Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday.
USF athletics communications contributed to this story.
Key Stat(s)
29-0 – South Florida forced Alabama State into 23 turnovers on the night leading to 29 points for the Bulls … In contrast, the Green and Gold committed 10 turnovers and held the Hornets to zero points off their miscues.
32-6 – The Bulls dominated the paint against the Hornets, outscoring Alabama State 32-6 in the lane.
Notable
- Thursday’s starters for the Bulls were: G Elisa Pinzan, G Sydni Harvey, W Aerial Wilson, F Shae Leverett, and F Bethy Mununga … The Bulls are 1-0 with this lineup.
- The win over Alabama State improves South Florida’s record in the all-time to 3-0.
- The Bulls held the Hornets to just 14 points in the first half, which is tied for the ninth fewest scored in a half in program history.
- The win over the Hornets marked USF head coach Jose Fernandez’s 394th of his career, six shy of 400 … In his 22nd year as head coach of the Bulls, Fernandez’s career coaching record is 394-276.
- Shae Leverett continues to move up the school’s career rebounding chart … Against Alabama State, Leverett’s three rebounds give her 685, 12th on USF’s career rebounding list.
- Bethy Mununga’s five rebounds raise her to 612 for her career, 18th on the school’s all-time list.
- Elisa Pinzan’s six assists on the night give her 381 for her career and move her past Shaletha Stringfield (2011-12, 13-16) into sole possession of sixth place.
Up Next
USF now hits the road for a daunting seven-game road stretch against some of the top programs in the country, beginning on Monday night when it faces No. 15/12 Tennessee in Knoxville in the AAC/SEC Challenge at 6:30 p.m. (SECN+). The Bulls then head to the Bahamas for four games, including three in the inaugural Battle 4 Atlantis Women’s Tournament, beginning on Nov. 20 against Syracuse at 2:30 p.m., and a possible day two matchup against UConn who will face Minnesota on the first day. Oregon, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Buffalo are all potential opponents on Nov. 22.
South Florida closes out its trip to the Bahamas on Nov. 26 against the defending National Champion Stanford in the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship. Tip-off against the Cardinal is at noon.
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 –
