Elisa Pinzan pours in a game high 22 points while also dishing out her 300th career assist in the win.
Game Details
No. 16/17 USF 72, Tulane 53
USF (10-1, 7-0 AAC), Tulane (7-4, 3-3 AAC)
Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021 | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN+
New Orleans, La. | Avron Fogleman Arena
NEW ORLEANS (AP) (Jan. 13, 2021) — Elisa Pinzan had 22 points, seven assists and a career-best six steals to lead No. 16/17 South Florida to a 72-53 victory over Tulane on Wednesday night. It was the 16th consecutive win for the Bulls over the Green Wave, dating back to Jan. 4, 2015.
The Bulls (10-1, 7-0 American) have won nine straight games, which equals the longest winning streak in program history, and are off to their best conference start in program history. Tulane (7-4, 3-3) ended a three-game winning streak.
Pinzan shot 7 of 17 from the floor and was one-point shy of a career best. It was her third career 20-point outing and she also surpassed 300 career assists (303).
Maria Alvarez and Elena Tsineke added 12 points apiece for the Bulls. Sydni Harvey had 10 points.
Pinzan and Alvarez combined for seven of the Bulls’ 10 3-pointers.
Arsula Clark scored 20 points for the Green Wave. Jerkaila Jordan had 11 points and Krystal Freeman 10 points and eight rebounds.
The Bulls broke the game open with a 27-11 third quarter, stretching their lead to 57-32. Pinzan had eight points and four assists.
USF athletics communications contributed to this story.
Quotable
“I thought the result of this game was the two practices and shoot around that we had before this game. This was a good road win for us, over a good team. Now we look forward to getting back and preparing for another tough conference game against Memphis on Sunday on national television.” – USF head coach Jose Fernandez
Key Stats
16 & 14 – The Bulls were on point defensively against Tulane, forcing the Green Wave into 16 turnovers on the night, with 14 of them coming off of USF steals.
21-9 – Taking advantage of Tulane’s 16 miscues, the Bulls held a 21-9 points off turnovers advantage.
69.2 & 83.3 – During the third quarter where the Bulls outscored the Green Wave, 27-11, to blow the game open, USF shot a blistering 69.2 percent (9-for-13) from the field, and an impressive 83.3 percent (5-for-6) from behind the three-point arc.
Notable
- The win over Tulane improves USF’s record in the all-time series against the Green Wave to 25-19, and 11-8 all-time in games played in New Orleans … The Bulls have dominated Tulane, of late, having won 16 straight games, 19 of the last 20, and 20 of the last 22 games played.
- USF’s 10-1 start marks just the third time during the Jose Fernandez coaching era (since the 2000-01 season) that the Bulls have won at least 10 games through their first 11 outings … They also accomplished the feat during the 2016-17 (13-1) and 2008-09 (13-1) campaigns, under Fernandez … In addition, the Bulls also did it in 1999-00 (10-1) and 1976-77 (10-1) seasons, prior to Fernandez taking over the reins.
- With her fourth assist of the night against Tulane, Elisa Pinzan reached the 300-assist plateau for her career in just her 69th career game … Pinzan finished the night with seven handouts against the Green Wave, and has 303 for her career … She sits in 12th on the school’s career assist list. … She is just the 12th player in program history to dish out at least 300 career assists.
- Pinzan’s 22 points against the Green Wave fell one-point shy of equaling her career high of 23 set twice previously with the last coming on Jan. 19, 2020 against UCF … It was her third career 20-point outing.
- Pinzan also recorded a career high six steals on the night, against Tulane, surpassing her previous best of four, also set against the Green Wave on Jan. 25, 2020.
- Shae Leverett continues to move up the school’s career blocked shot and rebounding charts … Her one blocked shot against the Green Wave gives her 93 for her career, which ties Courtney Williams (2012-16) in seventh place on the school’s career list … She is now just seven blocks shy of becoming the seventh player in program history to reject at least 100 shots.
- In addition, Leverett continues to move up the school’s career rebounding chart … Against Tulane, Leverett’s seven rebounds give her 593, 17th place on the school’s all-time rebounding list … She is just seven boards shy of becoming the 17th player in program history to grab 600 career rebounds.
Up Next
Following the Tulane game, USF will return home to the Yuengling Center to face Memphis on Jan. 17 (4 p.m.) on ESPNU, before hitting the road for two straight at Wichita State on Jan. 20 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+) and at East Carolina on Jan. 23 (1 p.m., ESPN+).
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).
USF notched its ninth consecutive 19-win season and was poised for its ninth straight postseason appearance in 2019-20 before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the end of the college basketball season. The Bulls celebrated two all-conference honorees in Elena Tsineke and Elisa Pinzan. Tsineke was named the American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, in addition to The American All-Freshman Team and Third Team All-Conference; while Pinzan was named a Third Team All-Conference selection.
USF has made 15 postseason tournament appearances and had six NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez’s 20 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 more than 350 games.
– #GoBulls –
