Box Score PHILADELPHIA, JAN. 29, 2017 – In a highly anticipated match-up between the No. 23 University of South Florida women's basketball team and Temple, the Bulls' defense stifled the Owls in a 55-51 victory at McGonigle Hall Sunday afternoon.
USF (17-3, 6-1 The American) snapped Temple's 12-game win streak and handed the Owls their first conference loss of the season. The pair are now tied for second-place in the league rankings. Freshman Tamara Henshaw (Palm Coast, Fla.) turned in a stellar performance in the paint, scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in addition to two blocks and an assist. The forward shot 62 percent from the floor. Kitija Laksa (Riga, Latvia) led the Bulls with 16 points, while Maria Jespersen (Arhus, Denmark) missed a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds.
USF led by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter, and only trailed once in the first minute of the contest. Down 5-4, a three-pointer by Laksa sparked a 10-0 run, fueled by six points from the Latvian. The Bulls never looked back and maintained a 10-point cushion for the majority of the contest.
Temple cut the deficit to two-points with two minutes left in the game, but the Bulls fended off the late surge for their 17th win of the season. Feyonda Fitzgerald led the Owls with 14 points.
Key Stats
47- The Bulls totaled 47 rebounds and outrebounded Temple 47-36. USF has outrebounded opponents 17 times this season. Entering Sunday's contest the Bulls averaged a +10.1 rebounding margin.
25 - USF's defense limited Temple to a 25 percent field goal percentage, and held the Owls to one field goal on eleven attempts (9.1 field goal percentage) in the second quarter.
Notables
Henshaw is the first freshman to have a double-double since Laura Ferreira grabbed 11 points and 11 rebounds against Tulsa (Feb. 18, 2015).
Laia Flores (Mataro, Spain) added nine assists and brought her season total to 128 assists, which are the most assists dished out since Andrell Smith tallied 154 in the 2012-13 season. Only seven players in USF history have tallied at least 125 assists in a single season.
Laksa, Ariadna Pujol (Mataro, Spain) and Flores played all 40 minutes and have played 40 minutes in a game a combined 10 times this season.
The Bulls move to second place in American Athletic Conference rankings, tied with Temple.
Up Next
No. 23 USF hosts Cincinnati Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. in a special Autism Awareness event.
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF women's' basketball news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
The Bulls return eight players from last season, and have signed six newcomers to the roster. American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year Kitija Laksa will lead a squad full of international flavor that boasts nine players from around the world. USF will look to extend its postseason streak to five consecutive seasons and return to the conference championship for the third time in as many years.
USF has made 12 postseason tournament appearances and had four NCAA Tournament berths in Head Coach Jose Fernandez's 16 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to seven 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship and won more than 280 games.
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