TAMPA, Fla. ? The University of South Florida women's basketball team ended its two-game losing streak tonight and did so in exciting fashion, defeating Villanova 77-66 in a critical BIG EAST Conference game at the Sun Dome.
USF (13-12, 3-9 BIG EAST) came out of the gate looking like it may play itself out of one of the final spots in the BIG EAST Tournament when the Wildcats (15-11, 5-8) opened the game hitting their first five shots from behind the three-point arc en route to a 20-8 lead when Tia Grant hit a trey with 14:28 left in the first half.
Villanova would then score five of the next seven points in the game to push its lead to what would be a game-high 15 points when the Wildcats Kyle Dougherty hit two free throws with 11:41 on the clock.
The Bulls then began to chip away at the lead and eventually would use a 20-5 run to tie the game at 30-all on a steal and lay-up by Shantia Grace with 3:59 left before the intermission.
USF, however could not take the lead as the Wildcats took a 40-37 edge into the locker room at the half.
The Bulls would take their first lead of the game, 48-47, when Daiane Packer hit the first of her two three-pointers with 13:43 left in the contest.
Villanova would tie the game one last time at 52 when Siobhan O'Connor connected on a three-point field goal with 11:12 left. USF, however, would use a 14-2 run to take its biggest advantage of the contest, 66-54, on a free throw by Porche Grant with 6:29 remaining.
The Wildcats would cut the lead to six one final time, 67-61 with 2:51 left, but could not get any closer.
On the night, the Bulls played nearly a flawless game in terms of protecting the ball as they turned in just three miscues on the night, the fewest since recording seven last year against Georgia Southern on Nov. 19, 2006. USF also took advantage of 17 Villanova turnovers which would lead to 19 points.
In addition, the Bulls dominated the game in the paint outscoring the Wildcats 36-14 in the lane.
Although she scored fewer than 27 points for the first time in the last three games, Grace still hit for better than 20 points netting a game-high 21. ChiChi Okpaleke and Jazmine Sepulveda each added 19 points apiece in the win.
On the glass, Grant, would finish the game with a career ? and game-high ? 15 rebounds, while Okpaleke added 11 boards en route to her second double-double of the season and the fifth of her career.
Villanova placed five players in double figures led by Lisa Karcic's 16 points.
USF will now hit the road for two straight when it travels to the Nation's Capital to face Georgetown on Feb. 23. It will then end its short two-game road stretch at Notre Dame on Feb. 27. Both games can be heard live on 1010 Sports WQYK-AM with Garrett Walvoord calling the action.
