Elena Tsineke has another big outing, netting 25 points while Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu adds 16 points; Bethy Mununga grabs her 800th career rebound.
Game Details
RV/RV South Florida 75, Tulsa 67
USF (14-5, 4-1 AAC), Temple (8-7, 3-1 AAC)
Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022 | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
TAMPA (Jan. 22, 2022) — Elena Tsineke scored a team-high 25 points, including 10 points in overtime, as the University of South Florida women’s basketball team defeated Temple, 75-67, handing the Owls their first American Athletic Conference loss of the season. USF improves to 14-5 on the year and 4-1 in The American, while Temple falls to 8-7 overall and 3-1 in league play.
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu added 16 points, while Bethy Mununga and Elisa Pinzan chipped in with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Fankam Mendjiadeu and Mununga each grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, with Mununga hauling down the 800th rebound of her career. Pinzan finished the night with nine assists.
With the game tied at 59 at the end of regulation, Tsineke scored 10 of the Bulls’ 16 points in the extra session as South Florida outscored the Owls 16-8. The sophomore guard put the Bulls up one, 62-61, on a driving layup with just under four minutes left in the contest, then went 8-for-8 from the field, including 6-for-6 in the final 36 seconds.
The Green and Gold led 25-24 at halftime and 45-40 at the end of the third, however, Temple outscored South Florida, 19-14 in the fourth quarter to force the overtime. Tsineke hit the second of two free throws with 28 seconds left to put the Bulls up two, 59-57, however, Temple’s Mia Davis scored on a driving layup with seven seconds left in regulation to knot the game at 59-all. Davis finished the game with 26 points. Tsineke had an opportunity to win the game but her layup rolled off the rim as time expired.
The Owls scored the first two points of the overtime on a pair of Alexa Williamson free-throws, to take a 61-59 lead, but that was the largest advantage that Temple held before South Florida took control of the game.
Notable
- Saturday’s starters for the Bulls were: G Maria Alvarez, G Sydni Harvey, W Elena Tsineke, F Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, and F Bethy Mununga … The Bulls are 5-2 with this lineup.
- South Florida’s win over Temple improves its record in the all-time series to 15-3, and winners of three straight and seven of their last eight.
- The Bulls have won two-straight, five of their last six, and nine of their last 11 games.
- South Florida improves to 7-0 at home this season.
- Elena Tsineke’s 25 points against Temple was her 47th career double-figure scoring game in her 66th career game.
- Tsineke finished the week averaging 27.5 points per game after her performance against the Owls and her 30-point game against Tulsa on Wednesday night.
- Sara Guerreiro tied her career high with six points.
- The Bulls are now 29-13 all-time in overtime games and 23-8 with Jose Fernandez as head coach … Saturday was USF’s first overtime game of the season and the first since a 69-65 overtime win against Cincinnati on Feb. 17, 2021 … The Bulls have won their last five overtime games and 10 of the last 13.
Up Next
Following the game with the Owls, the Bulls head back on the road for back-to-back games in the Lone Star state at SMU on Jan. 26 at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+) and then at Houston on Jan. 30 at 4 p.m. (ESPN+). South Florida will return home to face Tulane on Feb. 6 at noon.
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 –
