Fernandez Returns in Bulls' Win at Memphis
MEMPHIS, FEB. 5, 2014 –
Jose Fernandez' return to the floor was a successful one Wednesday night for the University of South Florida women's basketball team.
The Bulls' head coach returned from illness to lead an inspired USF team to a 71-58 win at Memphis, getting a season-high 20 points from senior
Inga Orekhova (
Sevastapol, Ukraine) and a near double-double from freshman
Katelyn Weber (Little Rock, Ark.) in the process.
Fernandez, who spent two nights in the hospital last week and missed the Louisville game Saturday, arrived Wednesday morning in Memphis, coaching the Bulls to his 223rd career victory.
USF shared the ball well, getting offensive production from nine different players, including 33 points off the bench, as the Bulls fought through early foul trouble and a single-digit second-half lead to cruise to their seventh conference win of the season.
Trailing 13-9 early in the first half, the Bulls ripped off an 18-2 run with help from a pair of
Orekhova three-pointers to lead by as much as 12, at 27-15. The Bulls used 12 first-half rebounds and 13 second-chance points to hold onto that lead, hitting the locker room up 33-28 at the half.
The Bulls came alive in the second half, getting nine points from sophomore
Courtney Williams (
Folkston, Ga.) and eight more from
Orekhova, boosting the lead to as much as 18 before settling for the 71-58 win.
Weber nearly posted the first double-double of her career, grabbing a career-high nine rebounds to go with 11 points, while Williams finished with 13 points. Backup point guard
Shalethia Stringfield dished out six assists for the fifth time this season in the win.
The Bulls have a quick turnaround, returning home to face UCF Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Sun Dome. USF stays home next week, hosting UConn Feb. 16.
