USF Athletics

No. 23 Bulls Seek Redemption at Memphis

January 16, 2018

Matchup: No. 25 USF (14-4, 4-1 The American) at Memphis (7-10, 2-2 The American)
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 17
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Location: Memphis, Tenn. | Elma Roane Fieldhouse
Watch: ESPN3
Radio: AM 1040 (Darek Sharp)
Follow: Listen | Live Stats |  Twitter
 
TAMPA, JAN. 16, 2018 – The USF women's basketball team opens a two-game road swing Wednesday at conference foe Memphis. The Bulls will take on the Tigers at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse at 8 p.m. Eastern on ESPN3.  
 
The Bulls (14-4, 4-1 The American) are looking for their first win at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse since Jan. 31, 2015. In the last two seasons, the Tigers have snuck past the top-25 Bulls, including a 88-87 overtime thriller when the program had its highest ranking in program history, No. 15 (Jan. 20, 2016).
 
USF continues to be led by junior Kitija Laksa (Riga, Latvia) with 20.4 points per game. Laksa has connected for 70 three-point field goals this season and averages 3.89 treys per game. Her 98 percent free throw percentage is the best season long performance at the charity stripe in NCAA Division I.
 
The Bulls are now in sole possession of second place in league standings and Maria Jespersen (Arhus, Denmark) averages 16.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game against American Athletic Conference opponents. USF's defense has held three conference opponents to 46-points or less and are holding teams to a .377 field goal percentage.
 
THE OPPONENT
Memphis (7-10, 2-2 The American) has won two of its last three outings and are 5-3 at home this season. The Tigers are led by Cheyenne Creighton with 16.0 points per game this season and she also leads the team with 8.6 rebounds per game. Memphis is fresh off a 69-48 victory at Tulsa Saturday. The Tigers had three players in double figures: Creighton (22), Brea Elmore (19) and Jada Stinson (15).
 
The Bulls and Tigers will meet for the 25^th time in program history. The series dates back to 1996 and USF trails Memphis, 10-14, in the series. The Bulls have won eight of the last 10 meetings.
 
NOTABLES

• The Bulls are 4-1 on the road this season and haven't lost on the road since Dec. 9. USF has won three-in-a-row on the road.
• Laia Flores leads the league in three different categories: assist-turnover ratio (3.53), assists (113) and assists per game (6.3). She ranks in the top 18 nationally in all three categories.
• Maria Jespersen is two rebounds away from a tie for ninth on USF's career chart with Ezira Parsons (729 rebounds, 2003-05). Jespersen has 727 career rebounds.
• Kitija Laksa only needs 43 points to move into the top-10 of USF Career scoring records. The junior has 1,366 career points.
• USF is currently receiving votes in the AP poll and is No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll. The Bulls started the season ranked No. 23/22 and peaked at No. 16 (AP – week 4) and No. 16 (Coaches – weeks 3-4). USF has been ranked in the coaches' poll every week and has received votes in every AP Poll. The program's highest ranking in both polls was in 2016, when the Bulls were ranked No. 15 (AP – Jan. 18 | Coaches – Jan. 19).

 
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF women's basketball news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
 
USF notched its fifth consecutive 20-win season. The Bulls tallied its 20th win in their 24th contest of the season which tied the fastest any program has reached 20 wins. This is the eighth 20-win season in program history and head coach Jose Fernandez has been at the helm for all eight 20-win seasons. The 2014-15 team reached 20 wins in 24 games, and still currently holds the best record for most wins in a season (27).
 
USF has made 13 postseason tournament appearances and had five NCAA Tournament berths in Head Coach Jose Fernandez's 17 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to eight 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship and won more than 300 games.
– #GoBulls –