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By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, JAN. 8, 2016 – Sharp-shooting Kitija Laksa is on fire as conference play continues to heat up for No. 22/18 USF women's basketball.
The freshman forward from Latvia lit up the scoreboard with 59 points in the past two games and showed the nation why she was a five-star recruit on Thursday night. Laksa became the first newcomer in the American Athletic Conference to put up 30-plus points this season by posting 38 in USF's 83-56 victory over SMU at the Sun Dome.
“(Teammates) gave me open looks and like here in America you say, 'I just let it fly,'” Laksa said.
Laksa's 38 points are the second-most in league history behind only UCF's Zykira Lewis, who registered 41 in a game last season. Laksa now ranks fourth in USF's single-game scoring records and her eight 3-pointers are good for second-best in school history.
Laksa also tied The American's top single-game field goal percentage mark by going 15-for-24 from the field in USF's third straight win to open conference play.
“It was amazing, that girl couldn't miss,” senior Courtney Williams said.
Before her career night as a Bull, Laksa led the team with 21 points in a 108-63 rout of rival UCF on Tuesday night. During the superb two-game stretch, Laksa shot nearly 56 percent from the field (20-for-36), 60 percent from long range (12-for-20) and made all seven of her free throw attempts.
Thanks to the scoring outburst, Laksa has increased her season scoring average to 11.8 points per game.
“We knew what Kit could do. We saw that when we recruited her and how she played in Spain,” head coach Jose Fernandez said. “It's great for her to have two back-to-back games and shoot the ball as well as she did.”
Laksa will look to stay in her groove when the Bulls take on top-ranked UConn 5 p.m. Sunday at the Sun Dome. Reserve your seats for the marquee matchup at USFBullsTix.com.
Jose Fernandez's 2015 women's basketball team returns all five starters, including All-American Candidate Courtney Williams, from a team that posted a 27-8 (15-3 American) record in 2014-15 and finished the season in the top 25 rankings. The squad finished second behind eventual NCAA champion UConn in the American Athletic Conference and made an exciting NCAA Tournament run that saw USF top LSU in front of 5,560 fans in the Sun Dome in the NCAA regional round.
In 2015-16, the Bulls will be hosting their toughest schedule yet, including the opening rounds of the Preseason WNIT, along with perennial powers Penn State, Chattanooga, Oklahoma State and UConn making trips to Tampa. Season tickets, starting at just $65, are available for purchase online at USFBullsTix.com, by phone at 1-800-GoBulls or in person at the Gate B ticket office of the Sun Dome, with single game tickets going on sale in late September.
USF has made 11 postseason tournament appearances and had three NCAA Tournament berths in Head Coach Jose Fernandez's 15 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to six 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship and won more than 260 games.
