Elena Tsineke led four players in double-figures for the Bulls with a game-high 23 points.
Game Details
-/RV (2) South Florida 63, (7) Memphis 53
USF (23-7), Memphis (16-12)
Tuesday, March 8, 2022 | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN+
American Athletic Conference Quarterfinals
Fort Worth, Texas | Dickies Arena
FORT WORTH, Texas (March 8, 2022) — Elena Tsineke led four South Florida players in double figures with a game-high 23 points as the second-seeded Bulls defeated seventh-seeded Memphis, 63-53, in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Air Force Reserved American Athletic Conference Tournament at Dickies Arena Tuesday night.
South Florida improves to 23-7 on the year and Memphis falls to 16-12.
The win also keeps the Bulls’ streak alive of advancing to the AAC Tournament semifinals. In their nine years as a member of The American, South Florida has never been eliminated from the tournament before the semifinals.
In addition to Tsineke, Elisa Pinzan poured in 16 points while Sydni Harvey and Bethy Mununga added 10 points apiece. Mununga also added a game-high 13 rebounds for her 33rd career double-double and 13th of the season.
The Bulls and Tigers were deadlocked at 27-27 at halftime and 45-all at the end of the third quarter before the South Florida outscored Memphis 18-8 in the fourth quarter to secure the win.
With the game tied at 45 to start the fourth quarter, Tsineke made a layup to give the Bulls the lead. The two teams’ defenses stepped up with neither team scoring again until it was Tsineke with another layup with 4:49 remaining. South Florida never trailed in the final 10 minutes of play.
Tsineke scored 18 of her 22 points in the second half, with 10 of the 18 coming in the final quarter. Tsineke was six-for-six from the free-throw line in the final 68 seconds of the game to clinch it for the Bulls.
Notable
- Tuesday’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 improves to 24-36 all-time in conference tournament play and 16-7 in the American Athletic Conference Tournament … The Bulls have won four-straight AAC Tournament games dating back to last year’s title run.
- The Bulls’ win over Memphis improves its record against the Tigers to 14-15 all-time … South Florida also improves to 2-0 against Memphis in AAC tournament games, having defeated the Tigers, 79-51, in the 2015 tour ament quarterfinals.
- Elena Tsineke’s 23 points against the Tigers mark her 56th career double-figure scoring game in her 77th career game with the Bulls.
- Bethy Mununga recorded her 54th career double-figure rebounding game with her 13 rebounds against Memphis … In addition, her 10 points along with her 13 rebounds marks her 33rd career double-double with the Bulls and her 13th of the season.
Up Next
South Florida will now face the winner of (6) Houston and (3) Tulane in the semifinals on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET, with the winner advancing to the American Athletic Conference championship game on Thursday at 9 p.m.ET.
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 –
