Elena Tsineke had a game-high 21 points, Bethy Mununga had 14 points and 15 rebounds and Maria Alvarez 13 points and career-high seven assists.
Game Details
No. 24/24 South Florida 61, Cincinnati 46
USF (11-4, 1-0 AAC), Cincinnati (7-6, 0-1 AAC)
Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Cincinnati, Ohio | Fifth Third Arena
CINCINNATI (AP) (Jan. 5, 2022) — Elena Tsineke scored 21 points, Bethy Mununga had a double-double and No. 24-ranked South Florida blitzed Cincinnati from the outset then held off the Bearcats for a 61-46 win Wednesday night at Fifth Third Arena.
The contest marked the American Athletic Conference opener for both teams. It was the Bearcats’ first game since Dec. 22 following a cancellation and postponement due to COVID-19 protocols. The Bulls also had their original conference opener on Sunday against Memphis postponed due to COVID concerns.
Arame Niang’s basket 29 seconds in marked Cincinnati’s only lead. South Florida (11-4, 1-0) went on a 13-0 run and closed out the first quarter with a 23-4 lead with the help of four 3-pointers, two apiece by Maria Alvarez and Sydni Harvey, all coming in the final four-plus minutes of the first stanza. The two made threes by Harvey marked her only two field goals of the night. The Bearcats (7-6, 0-1) made just 1 of 14 shots for the quarter.
Caitlyn Wilson’s 3 with 3:34 remaining brought Cincinnati within 55-46 but they didn’t score again.
Mununga scored 14 points and had 15 rebounds and Alvarez scored 13 and distributed a career-high seven assists.
Caitlyn Wilson scored 12 points for the Bearcats and Jillian Hayes 11.
Story courtesy of Associated Press. USF athletics communications contributed to this recap.
Stat of the Day
47-25 & 18-3 – South Florida dominated the glass on Wednesday night against Cincinnati, outrebounding the Bearcats 47-25, which included a commanding 18-3 advantage on the offensive boards. Leading to a 10-3 margin in second-chance points in the win.
Notable
- Wednesday’s starters for the Bulls were: G Maria Alvarez, G Sara Guerreiro, W Elena Tsineke, F Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, and F Bethy Mununga … The Bulls are 1-0 with this lineup.
- The win over Cincinnati on Wednesday night improves the Bulls to 9-1 in American Athletic Conference openers, and is their ninth-straight conference-opening win … In addition, Jose Fernandez improves his record in league lid lifters to 13-9 all-time.
- Elena Tsineke’s game-high 22 points against Cincinnati was her 43rd career double-figure scoring game in her 62nd career game … In addition, it was her 11th career 20-plus point performance with the Bulls, and her third in the last four games
- Bethy Mununga recorded her 44th career double-figure rebounding game with her 15 rebounds against the Bearcats … In addition, she also recorded her 25th career double-double, her second-straight, and her third in the last four games.
Up Next
The Bulls will return home to take on Wichita State on Jan. 9 (ESPNU) at noon on International Day. South Florida will then travel to Tulane (Jan. 12, ESPN+) and Central Florida (Jan. 16, ESPNU) for back-to-back road games.
For tickets call (800) Go-Bulls or head to USFBullsTix.com.
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 –
