Providence, RI (February 13, 2007) ? The University of South Florida women's basketball team came to New England looking for just two things ? to snap a short, but season-long two-game losing streak and to get back on track to earning a first round bye at the BIG EAST Tournament in March.
The Bulls certainly accomplished those two things earning a 78-64 win over Providence Tuesday night at Alumni Hall. The win improves USF's record to 18-7 and 8-4 in the BIG EAST while the Friars drop to 13-12 and 3-9 in league play.
Both USF and the Friars were pretty much even through the first half with neither team leading by more than four points through the first 12-plus minutes.
The Friars started to take control, taking advantage of a shooting slump by the Bulls where they didn't hit a field goal from the 7:10 mark to the 1:38 mark of the first half. During that time, Providence would extend its lead t the largest of the game, a 10-point spread, 38-28, with 2:16 left in the half.
USF would cut into the lead as Rachael Sheats (Marietta, GA) would end the half hitting four straight free throws. The Bulls trail at the intermission 38-33.
The Bulls would come out in the second half on a 10-3 run sparked by two three-pointers by Dai Packer (Jundiai, Brazil) and a field goal apiece by Sheats and ChiChi Okpaleke (Tampa, FL) to give USF a 43-41 lead.
Jessica Dickson (Ocala, FL), who scored just seven points in the first half and sat for the final six minutes of the first stanza, would tally eight straight points for the Bulls to help them to what was at that time their largest lead of game, 55-48, with 10:10 left.
The Friars would make one last run at USF right after it extended its lead to seven. Shauna Snyder would hit two free throws to cut the edge to five, 55-50, with 9:55 remaining in the contest and then Kendria Holmes would hit a lay-up with 9:03 left on the clock to pull Providence to three points, 55-52.
The Bulls would eventually extend their lead back to double digits before taking its largest lead of the game, 14 points with 29 seconds left.
Dickson would finish the game with 20 points and 10 rebounds marking her sixth double-double of the season ? including her second straight ? and the 12th of her career, and Packer would record a career-high with 16 points, on 5-11 from three-point range and 1-2 from the free throw line.
Nalini Miller (Capital Heights, MD) would score 13 points and in doing so became the 15th player in school history to score 1,000-career points.
Shantia Grace (Sarasota, FL) was USF's final player in double figures with 10 points.
Sheats had eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
The Bulls will not have any time to enjoy the win. After returning to Tampa on Wednesday they will immediately start to prepare for its match-up at West Virginia on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
USF will be back in action at home in the Sun Dome on Feb. 20 when it faces No. 5/4 Connecticut.
Both games can be heard live in the Tampa Bay area on 860-AM WGUL with Tom Krasniqi handling the play-by-play.
