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TAMPA, Fla. ? The University of South Florida women's basketball team extended its winning streak to five games an in doing so ended Florida A&M University's (FAMU) seven-game season opening winning streak when the Bulls defeated the Rattlers 78-59 this afternoon at the Sun Dome.
USF (7-2) used an 18-5 run ? from the 6:45 mark of the second half to 45 seconds left in the game - to put an otherwise close game out of reach for FAMU (7-1) and taking its biggest lead of the game, 21 points (78-57) with under a minute left.
Through the first half neither team led by more than seven points and the Bulls held a slight two-point lead (35-33) at the intermission. The Rattlers came out of the gate in the opening half with guns blazing hitting 50 percent (14-28) of its shots from the field while USF was just 12-29 (41.4 percent).
The beginning of the second half would prove to be much of the same, and the Bulls could never really shake FAMU.
The Rattlers kept the game close and trailed by as little as three points, 55-52, with 7:37 left in the game. FAMU would then go on a shooting drought not hitting another field goal until the four minute mark when Thyesis Halley converted in a lay-up with four minutes left in the game to make the score 66-56. The Rattlers would get no closer the remainder of the game.
“I think that we shot a lot better in the second half,” said USF head coach Jose Fernandez. “We shot 42 percent (41.4 percent) in the first half and close to 50 percent (48.4 percent) in the second half. We also had just nine turnovers and I think we had our assist high of the year with 19. This was a big game for them (Florida A&M). I think they are one of the top team's in their league (Mid Eastern Athletic Conference) and anytime you play against an instate rival you are going to get the best that they bring.”
For USF, Jessica Lawson poured in 23 points - on 8-12 shooting from the field ? marking her fourth 20-point game in her last six outings.
Jazmine Sepulveda and Shantia Grace also netted double figures with 15 and 11 points respectively.
ChiChi Okpaleke added nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds. It was her second straight double-figure rebounding performance.
On the afternoon, USF would finish the game hitting 45 percent (27-60) of its shots from the field while holding FAMU to just 38.9 percent (21-54).
The Bulls would also find themselves being more careful with the ball, turning it over just nine times in 40 minutes.
USF will have some time off before hitting the hardwood again on Dec. 18. The Bulls will travel to Cancun, Mexico on Dec. 16 and will face Oregon at 8:30 p.m. (ET) on the 18th and Belmont on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. (ET) in the Caribbean Classic.
USF will return to the Sun Dome on Dec. 30 when it faces Yale at 2 p.m. in the Sun Dome.
