Elena Tsineke pours in 18 points on her way to 1,000 for her career; Bethy Mununga nets 16 and grabs 10 boards
Game Details
-/RV South Florida 71, Houston 38
USF (22-7, 12-3 AAC), Houston (14-14, 7-9 AAC)
Wednesday, March 2, 2022 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Tampa, Fla. | Yuengling Center
TAMPA (March 2, 2022) — The University of South Florida women’s basketball team came into its regular-season finale against Houston looking to regain the swagger it had during the early part of the season as it has its eyes set on the upcoming American Athletic Conference Tournament, March 7-10 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. The Bulls found that swagger, and then some, turning in a dominating performance handing the Cougars a 71-38 loss on Wednesday night in the Yuengling Center.
South Florida improves to 22-7 overall and closes conference play at 12-3, while Houston is 14-14 on the year and finished 7-9 in The American.
Elena Tsineke poured in a game-high 18 points on the night and Bethy Mununga had 16 points and 10 rebounds for her 32nd career double-double and her 12th of the season. Maria Alvarez also chipped in with 14 points in the win.
Tsineke reached her own milestone as well, becoming the 26th player in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau, and the second this season, joining Sydni Harvey who accomplished the feat earlier this season.
With the win against the Cougars, the Bulls secure the No. 2 seed in the upcoming American Athletic Conference Tournament. South Florida will get a first-round bye and begin play in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, March 8 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+) against the winner of the game between the No. 7-seed Memphis and 10th-seeded East Carolina.
The Bulls led from wire to wire against Houston, with the game never being in doubt. South Florida led 49-16 at the half – its largest halftime lead of the season – while shooting 61.3 percent from the field (19-for-31), including 71.4 percent (5-for-7) from behind the three-point arc, and a perfect (6-for-6) from the free-throw line. The Bulls took their largest lead of the game, 47-12, with just over two minutes remaining in the half on a three-point shot by Maria Alvarez.
South Florida never looked back in the second half, with its margin falling below 30 points just four times in the final 20 minutes of play.
Notable
- Wednesday’s starters for the Bulls were: G Elisa Pinzan, G Sydni Harvey, W Elena Tsineke, F Shae Leverett, and F Bethy Mununga … The Bulls are 5-3 with this lineup.
- South Florida’s win over Houston improves its record in the all-time series to 19-8.
- Elena Tsineke’s 18 points against the Cougars marks her 55th career double-figure scoring game in her 76th career game with the Bulls.
- Bethy Mununga recorded her 53rd career double-figure rebounding game with her 10 rebounds against Houston … In addition, her 16 points along with her 10 rebounds marks her 32nd career double-double with the Bulls and her 12th of the season.
Up Next
South Florida now heads to the 2022 American Athletic Conference Tournament at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, March 7-10.
For tickets call (800) Go-Bulls or head to USFBullsTix.com.
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 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 –
