By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
Caitlin Rowe and the USF women's basketball team proved they
can hang with one of the best teams in the nation Friday night.
Rowe scored a game-high 19 points in her USF debut and the
Bulls held No. 13 Florida State to a 35 percent field goal percentage in a
62-49 loss at the season opening WBI Tip-Off Tournament in Daytona Beach.
“If you would have told me before the game that we would
hold them to 62 points, I'd feel pretty good about it,” USF head coach Jose
Fernandez said. “We just have to play better offensively.”
USF kept its deficit to 26-19 at halftime and pulled to
within 36-35 on a layup by Daleisha Carn with 13:43 left in the second half.
The Bulls were down 44-40 with 8:41 remaining in the game
thanks to a 3-pointer by Rowe, who finished 2-for-2 from beyond the arc
and 7-for-12 from the field.
“We have a lot of great players on this team. I guess
tonight was just my night,” said the junior, who transferred in to USF this
offseason.
Jasmine Wynne was the other Bull in double figures with 12
points (6-for-13 from the field) on a night USF shot 31 percent from the floor.
The Bulls excelled on the other end of the court, however,
and forced the Seminoles to go 0-for-6 from 3-point range. Five players were in
double figures for FSU, but Tay'ler Mingo's team-high total was only 12 points.
“There is a lot we can take from this game,” Fernandez said.
“We just have to come back and get ready for Arkansas tomorrow.”
USF gets a quick chance to bounce back against the
Razorbacks at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the three-day tournament. The Bulls'
Daytona Beach visit concludes Sunday against Minnesota in a game that also tips
off at 4:30 p.m.
