By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, JAN. 10, 2016 – Short-handed USF embraced the moment and continued to make strides against the top team in the nation before a record crowd of 6,634 at the Sun Dome on Sunday afternoon.
No. 22/18 USF jumped out to a 14-6 lead, trailed by just five at the half and sank 12 3-pointers in a 75-59 loss to No. 1 UConn. The Bulls nearly took the lead back in the third quarter and played efficiently with just eight turnovers despite being without all-conference forward Alisia Jenkins, who missed her second straight game with an injury.
“We've been coming down here a long time and every time we come down here Jose (Fernandez) has a better team each time,” UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said. “It's unfortunate that they weren't at full strength today. I thought the environment was great, the crowd was fabulous and I think both teams played really well.”
USF (10-4, 3-1) lost for the first time in 10 games at the Sun Dome this season and got standout performances from key players.
Courtney Williams made a big push for All-America status with a game-high 26 points and 13 rebounds. The Naismith Trophy candidate tied her career high with four 3-pointers and added two assists and two steals.
“She's the hardest person to guard in the league by far, I think,” Auriemma said. “…We've played a lot of good teams, I don't think there is another player that we've played against this year that is as hard to guard as Courtney Williams.”
Freshman Kitija Laksa scored in double figures for the third straight game and capped off her stellar week with 17 points after knocking down five of seven attempts from long range. Laura Ferreira and Shalethia Stringfield finished with seven points apiece.
“We know how good they are. We knew going in this was going to be really hard,” Auriemma said.
The first-ever regular season battle between two ranked teams at the Sun Dome was packed with exciting moments from the beginning of the nationally televised ESPN game. Fans of the Green and Gold rocked the venue from opening tip as USF opened with the hotter hand and a sizeable lead thanks to starting 4-for-5 from beyond the arc.
Laksa drained back-to-back 3-pointers before Williams and Ferreira connected from long range to help the Bulls jump out to a 14-6 advantage just over six minutes into the action.
Despite USF's fast start, UConn ended the first quarter with a 17-15 lead with Breanna Stewart and Morgan Tuck up to six points apiece. The Huskies led by as many as 10 in the second quarter, but USF finished the half on a 5-0 run and trailed, 33-28, at the break.
Williams powered the Bulls' late run and led all scorers with 16 points at the half after starting 6-for-12 from the field with two 3-pointers.
“We practiced (well) and it carried over into the game,” said Williams, who added eight rebounds and an assist in the opening half.
Solid defense also helped keep USF within striking distance as UConn started 37.8 percent from the field (14-for-37) with five turnovers. USF joined No. 23 DePaul and No. 3 Notre Dame as the only three teams that have stayed within five points of UConn at the half.
“Our guys believe,” Fernandez said.
Fresh off a 38-point performance, Laksa stayed in her groove with consecutive 3-pointers that cut USF's deficit down to 35-34 early in the third quarter. USF's go-ahead basket rimmed out and UConn took back the momentum with a 12-2 run.
“It's UConn, they go on runs and you just have to answer,” Williams said. “We knew what we were coming into.”
USF worked its deficit down to 53-44 by the end of the third quarter thanks to 3-pointers by Ferreira and Laksa, who made 17 in three games this week.
UConn seized control of the game by opening the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run and Katie Lou Samuelson's 3-pointer extended the advantage to 62-44 with just over eight minutes to play.
Two 3-pointers by Williams and another from Shalethia Stringfield got USF within 12 with less than four minutes to go, but UConn halted the Bulls' rally with a pair of 3-pointers from Kia Nurse.
Nurse made four of UConn's 13 3-pointers and finished with 16 points. Tuck had a team-high 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Stewart added 12 points and 11 rebounds in a game the Huskies were highly motived for going in.
“We prepared a little bit differently. There was a little different vibe on our team for this game,” Auriemma said.
USF looks forward to seeing UConn again at least one more time before the NCAA tournament.
“I enjoy playing them and our guys enjoy playing them, where other programs don't want to schedule or don't want to play them,” Fernandez said. “You want to coach against the best and your players want to play against the best. We embrace it.”
USF looks to bounce back 8 p.m. Wednesday at Tulane before returning to the Sun Dome to host East Carolina on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 2 p.m. Reserve your seats at USFBullsTix.com.
