TAMPA - The University of South Florida women's basketball team collected its first win of the 2009-10 season Monday, as USF defeated Saint Peter's 88-72.

Bulls' head coach Jose Fernandez returned to the USF bench Monday night after missing the season opener due to sickness, and helped lead the Bulls to their first victory of the 2009-10 season by beating Saint Peter's 88-72.

USF shot an impressive 48 percent from three point land in the win over Saint Peter's. Janae Stokes led the way by going 7-12 from beyond the arch.

Jessica Lawson ended the game with 24 points and nine boards. The 20-point performance was the second straight game with at least 14 points. She put up 14 points in the season opener against Florida A&M on Friday night.

Freshman guard, KaNeisha Saunders poured in a career-high 20 points on 7-11 shooting. Saunders also added four rebounds on the night.

Stokes led all scorers with a game-high 25 points in the victory. The senior shooter hit seven three-pointers on the night on 12 shots, good for 58 percent.

Alena Ali got the scoring started at the 18:30 mark of the first half with a three-point jumper from the top of the circle. The three was part of a 9-2 run for the Peahens to take the early advantage at the 15:55 mark of the first half.

USF responded and, after back-to-back three's by Stokes and Jasmine Wynne, the Bulls were down just a pair, 13-11, with 11:33 remaining.

Saint Peter's answered back with a run of their own extending their lead to seven thanks to a 6-0 stretch beginning at the 4:26 mark.

Fernandez then got his offense to spread the floor for the hot handed Stokes who hit three jumpers on consecutive trips including a pair of three's to cut the Peahens lead to just one with 3:08 remaining in the opening half.

A lay-up by Saint Peter's with 13 seconds remaining gave the Peahens a three-point advantage heading into the locker room at the half.

The Bulls came out running in the second half, causing turnovers on three of the first four Peahen possessions leading to fast-break points. A Stokes three gave USF a 35-33 lead with 18:17 remaining, the Bulls first lead of the second half.

Part of USF's success early in the second half came from a change to a full-court press, which caused the Peacocks to turn the ball over and gave the Bulls fast-break opportunities.

After a run by USF, Saint Peter's answered right back by going on it's own run to take the lead back 46-44 with 14:10 remaining.

Up three with just over 10:00 remaining, Lawson pulled down a big offensive board, and put it back in for two after a missed jumper by Stokes to extend the Bulls lead to six.

After a pair of free throws, Stokes hit a long-range three, her sixth three of the night, to give USF the lead, 59-52. The seven-point lead was the biggest of the game for the Bulls to that point.

Lawson, back for a sixth and final year, showed some of her veteran leadership in the second half as she put up 20 points as well as going eight for 10 from the free throw line.

With help from Lawson, and Stokes shooting the Bulls extended their lead to 12 at the 4:48 mark, and they would not look back.

GAMENOTES
Bulls' head coach Jose Fernandez returned to the USF bench Monday night after missing the opener due to sickness, and helped lead the Bulls to their first victory of the 2009-10 season by beating Saint Peter's 88-72.

Freshman guard, KaNeisha Saunders, put up a career high 20 points on 7-11 shooting. Saunders also added four rebounds on the night.

Janae Stokes led the Bulls, and all scorers with 25 points, in the 88-72 Bulls victory. The senior shooter hit seven three-pointers on the night from 12 shots good for 58 percent.

The Bulls shot an impressive 48 percent from three point land in the win over Saint Peter's. Stokes led the way by going 7-11 from beyond the arch.

The Bulls improved to 67-20 in non-conference games since 2004-05 and to 44-6 at home against non-conference foes.

Senior Jessica Lawson ended the game with 24 points and nine boards. The 20 point performance was the second straight game with at least 14 points for Lawson, as she put up 14 points in the season opener against Florida A&M.