Elena Tsineke leads four players in double figures with a game-high 21 points as the Bulls with their 11th at home.
Game Details
RV/RV USF 83, Central Florida 51
USF (18-4, 7-0 AAC), Central Florida (10-8, 1-5 AAC)
Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023 | 2 p.m. | ESPNU
Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
Postgame Press Conference: Jose Fernandez | Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu & Elena Tsineke
TAMPA (Jan. 22, 2023) — The University of South Florida women’s basketball team turned in a dominating performance on Sunday afternoon as the Bulls defeated rival Central Florida, 83-51, in front of a raucous crowd of 4,227 at the Yuengling Center in this season’s first edition of the War on I-4. The win improves South Florida to 18-4 on the year and 7-0 in the American Athletic Conference while the Knights fall to 10-8 on the year and a dismal 1-5 in The American.
In addition, the Bulls move to 11-0 at home this season and extend their home winning streak to 14 games dating back to last year, a streak that was the eighth longest in the nation coming into Sunday’s game.
South Florida, who had four players in double figures in the scoring column, was led by Elena Tsineke’s 21 points and 18 points and 13 rebounds from Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu. Carla Brito and Sammie Puisis added 13 and 12 points, respectively. Aerial Wilson dished out eight assists in the win. In all, 10 of the 11 players that saw the court this afternoon found their way into the scoring column.
The Bulls jumped on Central Florida early and led wire-to-wire leaving no doubt in the outcome right from the opening tip. South Florida led 15-2 just over six minutes into the contest on a Tsineke step-back jumper in the lane, and 23-12 at the end of the first quarter.
The Knights never found their way back into single digits the rest of the afternoon as the Bulls extended their lead to 20 points, and took a 46-24 lead into the locker room at the half behind 16 points from Tsineke and 11 from Brito.
The South Florida bench got significant minutes during the second half and contributed 19 points, as the Green and Gold, pushed their lead to as many as 33 points, 81-48, on a driving layup by Emma Johansson late in the fourth quarter.
The Bulls dictated the tempo of the game outscoring the Knights, 21-0 in fast break points, and took advantage of Central Florida’s 19 turnovers turning the miscues into 22 points.
In addition, South Florida had 22 assists during the afternoon on 31 made field goals.
With the win, South Florida Head Coach Jose Fernandez recorded his 115th career conference win in The American, just three shy of tying UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma’s 118 league wins in the AAC, and four from becoming The American’s all-time leader in conference wins.
Notable
- Sunday’s starters for the Bulls were: G Elena Tsineke, G Aerial Wilson, F Sammie Puisis, F Carla Brito and F Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu … South Florida is 15-4 with this lineup.
- The win over Central Florida improves the Bulls’ record against the Knights to 31-17 in the all-time series.
- Sunday’s attendance of 4,227 is the 21st largest home attendance in program history.
- Elena Tsineke’s 21 points against Central Florida mark her 78th career double-figure scoring game in her 101st career game with the Bulls.
- Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu’s 18 points and 13 rebounds mark her 48th career double-double and her 23rd in a South Florida uniform.
Up Next
South Florida heads back out on the road for back-to-back games at Tulsa on Jan. 25 (5 p.m. ET, ESPNU) and Memphis on Jan. 28 (3 p.m. ET, ESPN+), before returning to the Yuengling Center on Jan. 31 to face East Carolina at 7 p.m. (ESPN+).
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 $9.99 monthly or $99.99 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
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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 –
