Bulls look to take down their second nationally ranked Big XII foe this season.
TAMPA (Nov. 18, 2019) – No. 22 USF hits the road for the first time this season as it travels to Waco, Texas, for an early season Top 25 matchup against No. 2/2 Baylor. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. ET (Bulls Unlimited, ESPN+). The Bulls look to begin the season 5-0 for the fifth time in the last four seasons. USF also looks to make a statement nationally as it tries for its second Top 25 win of the season.
GAME FIVE | TUE., NOV. 19, 2019 | 8 P.M. ET | FERRELL CENTER, WACO, TEXAS
Live Stats | Watch Live | Listen Live
22/RV USF BULLS | 4-0
Last Game: Nov. 15 vs. VCU, W, 77-55
Next Game: Nov. 19 vs. Saint Francis (Pa.), 2 p.m.
Head Coach: Jose Fernandez
Alma Mater: FIU, 1994
Career Record: 358-259 (20th season)
at USF: Same
2/2 BAYLOR BEARS | 3-0
Last Game: Nov. 14 vs. Houston Baptist, W, 112-42
Next Game: Nov. 21 vs. Lamar, 8 p.m. ET
Head Coach: Kim Mulkey
Alma Mater: Louisiana Tech, 1984
Career Record: 579-99 (20th season)
at Baylor: Same
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: ESPN+
John Morris (PxP), Jim Haller (Analyst)
Audio: Bulls Unlimited (iHeartRadio/GoUSFBulls.com)
Darek Sharp (PxP)
Live Stats: GoUSFBulls.com
Series: Baylor leads 2-0
Twitter Updates: @USFWBB
Tickets: 254-710-1000
QUICK HITS
– Tuesday’s meeting with the Bears is the second Top 25 matchup of the season for the Bulls … Earlier this season USF faced another Big XII foe, No. 15/15 Texas, defeating the Longhorns, 64-57.
– USF is coming off an impressive 77-55 win over VCU on Nov. 15 … Freshman Maria Alvarez poured in a career-high 20 points while Bethy Mununga had a career-high tying 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for her third double-double in four games.
– USF is currently ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, up three spots from last week … The Bulls jumped into the Top 25 on Nov. 11 following their 64-57 win over No. 15/15 Texas on Nov. 8.
TICKET & PROMOTION INFORMATION
– For ticket questions or to purchase tickets, please visit USFBullsTix.com or call 1-800-GoBulls … Season and single-game tickets are available; however, courtside seats are sold out for the 2019-20 season.
– After the Bulls face Baylor, they will return home to take on Saint Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. … That will be Go Green Day where fans will get $3 tickets for bringing in recyclable items.
UP NEXT FOR USF
– Following its game with Baylor, the Green and Gold return to the Yuengling Center on Nov. 24 when they take on Saint Francis (Pa.) … Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.
– The Bulls will spend Thanksgiving week in Cancun, Mexico at the Cancun Challenge, Nov. 28-30 … During its time in Mexico, USF will face a trio of 2019 NCAA Tournament participants in South Dakota State (Nov. 28), Florida Gulf Coast (Nov. 29) and national runner-up Notre Dame (Nov. 30).
A QUICK LOOK AT THE BULLS
– On Monday, Maria Alvarez was tabbed the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week, while Bethy Mununga was named to the weekly Honor Roll … Alvarez averaged 15.5 points per game while shooting 11-for-18 (61.1 percent) from the field and 7-of-13 (53.8 percent) from behind the three-point arc … Mununga averaged a double-double with 14 points and 11.5 rebounds per game … In addition, she shot 76.0 percent (12-for-16) from the field in the two games.
– The Bulls lead The American in several statistical categories through games of Nov. 17:
Scoring Offense: 73.2
Scoring Defense: 51.0
Scoring Margin: +22.2
3-Point Field Goal Percentage: 36.8%
3-Point Field Goal Percentage Defense: 23.6%
Rebounding Offense: 47.5
Rebounding Defense: 31.8
Rebounding Margin: +15.7
Offensive Rebounding: 18.8
– Enna Pehadzic comes into Tuesday game averaging a team-high 15.5 points per game on the year while shooting 41.3 percent (19-for-46) from the field, including 50.0 percent (16-for-32) from behind the arc … She has led the team in scoring in three of the Bulls’ four games this season, including a 20-point effort against Jacksonville on Nov. 5.
– Bethy Mununga is averaging a double-double to start the season, netting 12.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per contest through four games … In addition, she is shooting an impressive 71.9 percent (23-for-32) from the field … Her field goal percentage is tops in The American and 12th in the nation (through Nov. 17) … She is also first in The American, and second in the nation, in double-doubles.
– Freshman Maria Alvarez is third on the team in scoring, and second in assists, averaging 12.5 points and 3.5 assists per game, respectively … She is coming off a career afternoon, pouring in 20 points against VCU on Nov. 15.
– Elisa Pinzan is third in the AAC in total assists (22) and in assists per game, dishing out 5.5 per contest.
SCOUTING BAYLOR
– Baylor comes into its game with the USF with a 3-0 record after three lopsided wins to start the season ,,, The Bears are averaging 109.7 points per game and have won each of their three games by an average margin of victory of 70.7 points per game.
– NaLyssa Smith leads the Bears in scoring, averaging 19.3 points per game, along with 11.3 rebounds per outing … She is one of six players scoring in double-digits, along with Queen Egbo (16.3), Erin DeGrate (15.0), Te’a Cooper (13.0), Lauren Cox (12.0) and Juicy Landrum (10.0) … Although Cox is out indefinitely with an injury, she is second on the team in rebounding, grabbing 10.0 rebounds per game.
THE SERIES AGAINST THE BEARS
– Tuesday’s game with Baylor will be the third meeting all-time between the two schools with the Bears holding a 2-0 series lead.
– The last time USF and Baylor met was on Nov. 19, 2015 when the Bears defeated the Bulls, 66-63, in the semifinals of the Preseason WNIT … That season the Bears went 36-2 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
LAST TIME OUT
– USF got a career-high 20 points from freshman guard Maria Alvarez and a career-best tying 14 points from Bethy Mununga as the Bulls won their fourth straight game, 77-55, against VCU at the Yuengling Center on Nov. 15.
– Alvarez and Mununga were two of four players to find themselves in double figures in the scoring column … Joining the duo were Elisa Pinzan with 13 points, and Enna Pehadzic with 10 points … In addition, Mununga also grabbed a career-high tying 12 rebounds for her second-straight double-double and her third of the season, and Pinzan equaled her career-high with eight assists.
– With the Bulls leading, 19-12, at the beginning of the second quarter, VCU went go on a 10-0 run to take a 22-19 lead with just under six minutes left in the half … USF, not fazed by the margin, eventually put its own 16-2 run together – spearheaded by two Alvarez treys – to open the game up and close out the first half, taking a 37-26 lead into the locker room at the break.
– The Bulls came out in the second stanza and scored the first five points, taking a 16-point advantage, 42-26, on a driving layup by Alvarez with just over nine minutes left in the quarter … USF never looked back from that point on, extending its lead to as many as 23 points in the fourth quarter.
– USF dominated the glass, outrebounding the Rams, 41-27, including a 20-6 margin on the offensive boards … Those 20 offensive rebounds served the Bulls well, leading to 22 second-chance points … In addition, USF forced VCU into 17 turnovers, leading to 23 points.
MARIA ALVAREZ AND BETHY MUNUNGA EARN WEEKLY AMERICAN HONORS
– For the second-straight week members of the USF women’s basketball team were recognized by the American Athletic Conference … Maria Alvarez was tabbed The American Rookie of the Week while Bethy Mununga was named to the weekly Honor Roll.
– Alvarez averaged 15.5 points per game while shooting 11-for-18 (61.1 percent) from the field and 7-of-13 (53.8 percent) from behind the three-point arc … She also averaged 3.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game during the week … Alvarez poured in a career-high 20 points in USF’s win over VCU to go along with three assists, two steals and a rebound … She also had a career-high four rebounds in addition to her 11 points against Howard.
– Mununga averaged a double-double with 14 points and 11.5 rebounds per game … She had career highs of 14 points, in both games against Howard and VCU, and also grabbed 11 rebounds against Howard and a career-high tying 12 rebounds in the win over VCU … Of her 21 total rebounds, 13 came on the offensive glass … In addition, she shot 76.0 percent (12-for-16) from the field in the two games and averaged 1.5 steals, 1.0 assists and 1.0 blocks per contest.
– #GoBulls –
About USF Women’s Basketball
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF women’s basketball news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
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.
