Elena Tsineke pours in a game-high 24 points and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu sets a tournament single game record with 21 rebounds along with 19 points.
Game Details
RV/RV USF 63, Georgia Tech 50
USF (7-0), Georgia Tech (3-2)
Friday, Nov. 25, 2022 | 7:30 p.m. | FloHoops
Estero, Fla. | Hertz Arena
ESTERO, Fla. (Nov. 25, 2022) — The University of South Florida women’s basketball team jumped on top of Georgia Tech early and never looked back as the Bulls led wire-to-wire for their seventh-straight win to start the season with a 63-50 win over the Yellow Jackets in the first round of the Gulf Coast Showcase at Hertz Arena. South Florida is 7-0 for the first time since the 2012-13 season while Georgia Tech falls to 3-2 on the year.
The Bulls will now face No. 22/23 Michigan in the tournament semifinals on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The Wolverines defeated Air Force, 68-48, in their first-round matchup.
Elena Tsineke poured in a game-high 24 points – her third-straight 20-point game – and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu had 19 points and a career-high and tournament single-game record 21 rebounds to lead the Bulls. Fankam Mendjiadeu’s rebound total is tied for the fifth most in program history.
Daniela Gonzalez also had nine points and seven rebounds, both career highs.
After jumping on top, 16-4, six minutes in, South Florida led at the end of the first quarter, 25-12, and at the half, 35-36. The Bulls eventually extended their lead to as many as 16 points, 57-41, on a Tsineke layup with 6:23 left in the contest. The Green and Gold never led by less than nine points the entire fourth quarter.
Behind Fankam Mendjiadeu’s 21 rebounds, South Florida dominated the glass as a team, outrebounding Georgia Tech, 50-34, on the night.
Notable
- Thursday’s starters for the Bulls were: G Elena Tsineke, G Aerial Wilson, G Sammie Puisis, F Carla Brito and F Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu … The Bulls are 6-0 with this lineup.
- South Florida’s win over Georgia Tech is the first for the Bulls in the six games of the series.
- Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu’s 19 points and 21 rebounds mark her 36th career double-double and her 11th in a South Florida uniform.
- Elena Tsineke’s 24 points against Georgia Tech mark her 63rd career double-figure scoring game in her 86th career game with the Bulls … In addition, it was her 18th game of 20-or-more points.
Up Next
South Florida will now face No. 22/23 Michigan at 7:30 p.m. on day two of the Gulf Coast Showcase at Hertz Arena.
Catch The Bulls on Bulls Unlimited & ESPN+
The majority of USF’s regular-season games will be streamed live on the ESPN+ platform. The American Athletic Conference and ESPN began a new 12-year television rights agreement which started in 2020-21. Subscriptions for the ESPN+ app are $6.99 monthly or $69.99 annually and can be packaged with Hulu and Disney+ streaming services. A step-by-step guide for subscribing to ESPN+ is located here.
In addition, all games this season will be broadcast live on USF Bulls Unlimited, with Darek Sharp (home and away) and Brigid Merenda (for home games only) on the call. Bulls Unlimited is available via the free Tune In app (search “Bulls Unlimited’’) and provides static-free quality whether you’re listening on your streaming device, laptop or desktop.
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).
South Florida recorded its 10th 20-win season during the 2021-22 campaign while playing in its sixth American Athletic Conference championship game in its nine years in the conference. The Bulls achieved their highest national ranking of the season when it checked in at No. 13 in the Nov. 30 Associated Press Top 25 Poll, and advanced to their seventh NCAA Tournament appearance in the last nine years.
USF has made 17 postseason tournament appearances and had eight NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez’s 22 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to 10 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship, and has won over 400 career games. 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 at the conclusion of the 2020-21 campaign.
In 2021-22, the Bulls had three players recognized by The American for impressive seasons, including Elena Tsineke (All-Conference First Team), Bethy Mununga (All-Conference Second Team) and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (All-Conference Second Team).
In addition, Tsineke and Mununga were named to the American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team.
–#GoBulls –
