LAS VEGAS, Nev. - University of South Florida women's basketball team finally hit the hardwood today and got down to business for its first game in the Basketball Travelers Classic at the Thomas & Mack Center, and in doing so, pulled out a thrilling 59-54 overtime win over host UNLV.

The win improves USF to 8-4 on the year and while the Lady Rebels drop to 5-4.

Andrea Smith led the way for the Bulls with 19 points while Kaneisha Saunders added 12 points.

The story of the game, however, would be the play of fifth-year senior Porche Grant who recorded 11 points and a career-high - and Thomas & Mack Center women's basketball record - 20 rebounds. Grant's 20 boards is the most since Nalini Miller hauled down the 20 against Miami on Nov. 25, 2003. It also stands as a share of the 10th most in a single game in school history.
 
The Bulls came out in the first half and didn't seem to have shaken off the rust from their trip on Thursday. USF shot just 20 percent (7-35) from the field in the first stanza and was 0-5 from behind the three-point arc.

The Bulls led briefly by one point, 4-3, with 15:54 left in the half when Andrea Smith hit a jumper of an assist from Leondra Doomes-Stephens.

USF would go the final 4:10 of the half without a field goal, however would get an opportunity to take the lead back with just over a minute left before the intermission.

With USF down 19-17, Smith would get the ball deep in the corner and drive baseline. While being fouled by Sandrine Nzeukou, Smith threw a desperation shot up which missed, however, she was awarded three free throws, hitting two and missing the third tying the game at 19-all.

The Lady Rebels would eventually take a slight 21-19 lead into the locker room at the break.

Smith would finish the first 20 minutes of play with eight points and Porche Grant would establish her fifth double figure rebounding of the year early with 10 boards at the break.

The Bulls find their shooting touch in the beginning of the second half scoring 11 points in the first four minutes, while holding the Lady Rebels to one field goal for the first 5:30 minutes of the final stanza. Ta'Nitra Byrd would break the drought scoring a put-back with 14:39 left in the contest to cut USF's lead to three, 30-27.

UNLV would put together its own run, a 7-4 stretch, to tie the game at 34-all when Jamie Smith tipped in a missed shot with 11:26 left in the game, and then took a two-point edge on a lay-up by Nzeukou on its next possession.

The Bulls would seemingly take control of the game, once again, going up by six points, 43-37, with 6:12 left on a lay-up by Smith.

UNLV, however, was determined not to go quietly, despite USF leading by four points with just over a minute to play on a jumper by Daleisha Carn.

The Lady Rebels would score the final four points of regulation on a lay-up by Kelli Thompson off a Bulls' turnover with 25 seconds remaining in regulation, and then on a jumper by Lenita Sanford with 11 seconds left to tie the game for the eighth time and sending it to overtime.

Smith had one last chance to win the game at the buzzer, however her shot missed.

In the extra session, USF would outscore the Lady Rebels 10-5 en route to the win.

The Bulls will now face SMU tomorrow, Dec. 19 (8 p.m. ET) and then close out the event against Texas on Dec. 20 (8 p.m. ET).