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By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA - The Bulls' memorable win streak was snapped at three
with a 68-56 loss at Rutgers on Tuesday night.
Freshman Courtney Williams posted a team-high 15 points and
Andrea Smith added 11 more, but USF shot 29 percent as a team at the Rutgers
Athletic Center in New Brunswick, N.J.
The Bulls (19-8, 8-6) defeated two top-25 teams last week
but couldn't stop Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer from securing her 900th
career victory. Stringer is one of only seven Division I men's or women's
coaches to accomplish the feat.
USF had to play catch-up after shooting 25 percent in the
first half on the way to a 35-24 deficit at the break. USF didn't heat up much
when play resumed and wound up going 20-for-69 from the field.
"If you would have told me that we would have taken 20 more
shots than they did, I would have felt pretty good," USF head coach Jose
Fernandez said. "Offensively, we got a lot of good looks. The ball just didn't
go through the basket."
Rutgers (15-12, 6-8) led by as many as 16 in the second half
and snapped a four-game losing streak. Erica Wheeler scored a season-high 24
points and Betnijah Laney finished with 20 points in the Scarlet Knights'
fourth straight win over the Bulls.
USF has a chance to
add a third signature win to its NCAA tourney resume Saturday at home against
No. 3 UConn. The game is set for a noon start at the Sun Dome.
"We still have a lot of
opportunities," Fernandez said.
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