ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS,  Nov. 23, 2018 – No. 17 USF women's basketball fell in the final moments to its third power-five opponent in five days on the second day of the Paradise Jam, dropping a 71-69 decision. 
 
USF fell to 4-2 on the young season, and returns to action tomorrow to face UCLA (receiving votes) at 3 p.m. ET tomorrow in the final day of the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. 
 
Freshmen stepped up big to help USF, with freshman Beatriz Jordao scoring a career-high 18 points and for the second day in a row, Sydni Harvey tied her career-high three-pointers made with four on the night, adding up to a career-high 17 points. Three Bulls scored in double figures for the sixth consecutive game, including Harvey, Jordao, and Laura Ferreira (Lisboa, Portugal) with 22 points. 
 
USF took a 20-16 lead into the second quarter, but found themselves down 35-31 at halftime, after shooting just 25 percent from the field in the second quarter. But the Bulls came out of the break stampeding and ran off 14-4 to open the second half. North Carolina responded with a 16-5 run on 74.1 percent shooting in the quarter to nearly seal the upset. 
 
However, USF cut a deficit as high as 12 to just two in the final seconds. A 14-3 run powered by a crucial Pinzan three-pointer with nine seconds to go put the Bulls in a last-minute situation. A North Carolina foul on Ferreira with two seconds remaining sent the wing from Portugal to the line where she made two free throws, but the second was called back due to a line violation, and North Carolina inbounded the ball in the final two seconds to seal the 71-69 defeat. 
 
Key Stats
4 – Freshman Sydni Harvey tied her career high she set yesterday with four three-pointers made on the night  
17 – Harvey scored a career-high 17 points against UNC. She has scored 16 points or more against each of USF's power-five opponents this season.  
3 –Three Bulls scored in double figures in the setback. 


 
Notable

• Through six games this season, at least three Bulls have scored in double-figures in every single contest 
• USF is in the middle of a stretch where it takes on four power-five teams in six days. 
• The Bulls are 1-2 on the young campaign without senior guard Kitija Laksa, who is out for the season with injury. Before Laksa's injury, USF was 3-0. 
• USF has four scorers averaging in double-figure scorng. 

 
Up Next
USF now looks to continue its stretch of four Power Five opponents in six days as the Bulls will round out the Paradise Jam tournament with RV UCLA on Saturday, Nov. 24 at 3 p.m. ET. 
 
About USF Women's Basketball
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USF notched its sixth consecutive 20-win season and fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017-18. It marked the ninth 20-win season in program history, with head coach Jose Fernandez at the helm for all nine. The Bulls posted 26 wins in 2017-18, just shy of the program record of 27 set in 2008-09 and 2014-15. 
 
USF has made 14 postseason tournament appearances and had six NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez's 18 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to nine 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship and won more than 300 games.
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