Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu had 18 points and 17 rebounds; Elisa Pinzan 18 points, nine assists.
Game Details
-/RV South Florida 68, East Carolina 60
USF (21-7, 11-3 AAC), East Carolina (11-16, 4-10 AAC)
Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022 | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Greenville, N.C. | Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum
GREENVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 27, 2022) — The University of South Florida women’s basketball team got 18 points and a career-high-tying 17 rebounds from Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu and 18 points, and nine assists from Elisa Pinzan as the Bulls picked up a big American Athletic Conference road win at East Carolina on Sunday, 68-60.
The Bulls, who have won four straight and 12 of their last 15 games, improve to 21-7 on the year and 11-3 in The American. The Pirates fall to 11-16 overall and 4-10 in league play.
In addition to Fankam Mendjiadeu and Pinzan, Elena Tsineke added nine points – 10 shy of 1,000 for her career – and Bethy Mununga chipped in with eight points and nine rebounds. Mununga became just the fifth player in program history to grab 900 career rebounds.
The Bulls held their biggest lead of the game in the first quarter, 14-4, on a three-point shot by Maria Alvarez with just over two minutes left in the first stanza, but the contest tightened up with seven ties and six lead changed the rest of the way.
The Bulls led 30-27 at the half and 45-41 at the end of the third quarter, but Fankam Mendjiadeu took the contest over scoring 13 of her 18 points in the second half, including seven points in the fourth quarter where South Florida outscored East Carolina, 23-19, to secure the win. In addition, Pinzan logged 12 of her 18 points in the second stanza, including a 6-for-6 clip from the free-throw line in the final quarter, all coming in the last 38 seconds of the game.
Notable
- Sunday’s starters for the Bulls were: G Elisa Pinzan, G Sydni Harvey, W Elena Tsineke, F Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, and F Bethy Mununga … The Bulls are 12-3 with this lineup.
- South Florida’s win over East Carolina improves its record in the all-time series to 12-7.
- With her second rebound on Sunday against ECU, Bethy Mununga had become just the fifth player in program history to haul down 900 rebounds or more.
- Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu’s 18 points and career-high-tying 17 rebounds mark her 32nd career double-double and her seventh of the season.
- Maria Alvarez came off the bench to grab a season-high five rebounds, one shy of tying her career-high.
Up Next
The Bulls close out their regular season campaign on March 2 at 7 p.m. (ESPN+) against Houston on Senior Night, before heading to Fort Worth, Texas for the American Athletic Conference Tournament, March 7-10 at Dickies Arena.
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 –
