| |
|
|
| |
|
2 |
|
|
|
Samford
|
23 |
31 |
-- |
64 |
| USF |
29 |
18 |
-- |
47 |
| Scoring Leaders |
| Player |
FG-A
|
3FG-A
|
FT-A
|
TP
|
| Samford - London |
7-13 |
3-6 |
3-4 |
20 |
| USF - Andrea Smith |
6-14 |
1-4 |
3-3 |
16 |
| Rebounding Leaders |
| Player |
|
|
|
| Samford - Dawson |
0 |
4 |
4 |
| USF - Grant |
2 |
7 |
9 |
|
|
|
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The University of South Florida women's basketball team got 16 points from Andrea Smith and 13 points from Leondra Doomes-Stephens, but that wouldn't be enough as Samford handed the Bulls a 64-47 loss in the Samford Thanksgiving Classic snapping USF's two-game winning streak.
The loss drops the Bulls to 4-3 on the year, while the Bulldogs improve to 3-2.
USF used 45.8 percent (11-24) shooting in the first half to jump out and take the lead early and held the advantage for the majority of the first stanza.
The Bulldogs, who were selected in the preseason to win the Southern Conference title and the leagues bid to the NCAA Tournament, led three times in the first 3:30 of the game, but the Bulls would take the lead, for what would be the remainder of the first half, on Andrea Smith's only trey of the first half with 16:18 left, giving USF a 7-5 advantage.
The Bulls would extend their lead to as many as eight points, 25-17, when Porche Grant hit the second of two made free throws with 4:02 left in the first half.
USF would eventually take a six-point, 29-23 lead into the locker room at the break.
The Bulldogs, however, would come out in the second half on a 7-2 run to cut the lead to one-point on a three-point shot by Ruth Ketcham with 16:31 left in the game.
After a USF turnover and a missed shot, Samford would regain the lead, 32-31, with 15:17 left on a driving lay-up by Savannah Hill, a lead they would never relinquish.
The Bulldogs would use a 26-14 run to take command of the game, capped by a three-point shot by Emily London with 2:03 left giving Samford a 58-45 lead.
During that stretch Emily London would score 15 of her game-high 20 points to ice the game for the Bulldogs.
It was definitely a tale of two halves as Samford overcame a subpar 33.3 percent (8-24) shooting performance in the first half, to hit 60.9 percent (14-23) of its shots in the second stanza.
On the other hand, the Bulls shot at just a 25 percent (7-28) clip in the final 20 minutes of play and could never find their first half shooting touch.
The Bulls now return home to face in-state foe Florida Atlantic on Tuesday, Nov. 30 (7 p.m.), and then tip-off BIG EAST Conference play on Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. against defending national champion and No. 1 ranked Connecticut.
Samford Thanksgiving Classic All-Tournament Team
Most Valuable Player: Emily London, Samford
Savannah Hill, Samford
Kaneisha Saunders, USF
Amanda Peterson, UAB
Tanika Jackson, Alabama State
Andrea Smith, USF
