Orekhova Shines in USF's Loss to Top-Ranked UConn
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, FEB. 16, 2014 – Senior
Inga Orekhova shined for the Bulls with 17 points in a 63-38 loss to top-ranked UConn before a crowd of 6,615 at the Sun Dome on Sunday afternoon.
Orekhova (
Sevastapol, Ukraine) knocked down four 3-pointers and wound up in double figures for the fourth time in the past five games.
"I felt like I needed to step up and be a factor,"
Orekhova said.
USF (13-11, 8-5) didn't fare as well as a whole against the nation's leading defense, going 15-for-57 (26 percent) from the field while UConn scored 20 points off 18 turnovers by the Bulls.
"I thought our kids fought and competed, and they played with energy and effort. I thought to win a game like this you have to shoot a lot better than we did," head coach
Jose Fernandez said. "I think defensively you can live with that defensive effort to hold them to the low 60's, but as poorly as we shot it just doesn't give you a chance."
UConn (26-0, 13-0) got a game-high 18 points from
Bria Hartley, 15 points apiece from
Breanna Stewart and Stefanie
Dolson and 12 points from
Moriah Jefferson in the team's 32
nd consecutive victory. The Huskies finished with a 24-10 edge in points in the paint and kept the lead after
Dolson provided the go-ahead layup 2 minutes into the game.
Despite the loss, USF held UConn 22 points under its scoring average and forced 14 turnovers.
"We had a whole week off to mainly focus on our defense with how we defend Connecticut and who the shooters are,"
Orekhova said. "We did a great job as a whole team."
Orekhova's first 3-pointer spotted USF a 3-2 lead 1 minute, 12 seconds into the game but UConn seized control by opening with a 16-3 run.
Shalethia Stringfield's jumper ended USF's scoring drought with 11:57 remaining and the Bulls went into halftime trailing, 32-15, after going 6-for-31 from the field in the opening period.
Stewart and
Dolson each had 10 points apiece for UConn, which started with a 25-16 advantage on the boards and a 10-2 edge in points in the paint.
A packed house at the Sun Dome stayed in their seats during halftime as the NCAA unveiled the 2015 Women's Final Four logo. Tampa Bay will serve as host to the Women's Final Four for the second time when action takes place at the Tampa Bay Times Forum April 5 and 7, 2015. Read the NCAA's 2015 Women's Final Four release
HERE.
Junior
Tamara Taylor (St. Petersburg) scored all seven of her points in the second half to help the Bulls finish with an 11-3 advantage in bench points. Sophomore starter
Courtney Williams (
Folkston, Ga.) also scored seven points and grabbed eight rebounds in USF's first loss in the past three games.
The Bulls will look to bounce back during the start of a two-game road trip that begins 7 p.m. Wednesday at Cincinnati. USF finishes up at Temple on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. and returns to the Sun Dome to host Memphis on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. Purchase tickets for the game
HERE.
"We have to continue to fight to finish in the top four in this league and get that bye," Fernandez said. "We definitely want to be on the other side of the bracket and that's our goal. You win out and finish third in the league and you go to Mohegan (Sun Arena)."
Â
