USF Bound for Baton Rouge and LSU
Matchup:USF Bulls (9-4) vs. LSU Tigers (8-3)
Date: Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018
Time:4p.m. ET
Location: Maravich Arena, Baton Rouge, La.
Broadcast:SEC Network(Brenda VanLengen and Andraya Carter)
Radio: AM 1040,
Bulls Unlimited(Garrett Walvoord)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter Updates:@USFWBB
TAMPA, Fla. Dec. 29, 2018 – USF women's basketball will travel to Baton Rouge, La., for just its second true road game of the year to face SEC foe LSU on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
USF (9-4) hopes to end 2018 and close its competitive nonconference schedule on a high note and intends to bounce back after two heartbreaking losses to respectable basketball programs in the Florida Sunshine Classic. The Bulls first fell to Creighton on Dec. 20 despite coming back from a 21-point deficit to take a late fourth quarter lead, but a fourth quarter scoring drought gave the win to the Bluejays (76-83). Not 24 hours later, USF owned a 15 point lead at halftime against Virginia, but the Hoos gave USF a taste of its own medicine and came back in the second half to steal away the victory (67-74). Neutral sites have been unkind to USF, where all four of its losses have come.
Before the Florida Sunshine Classic, USF hit a five-game winning streak bookended by wins over UCLA (60-56 on Nov. 24) and Vermont (102-55, Dec. 17). In the setbacks at the Classic and the victory over Vermont,
Enna Pehadzic (Horsens, Denmark), lit up for USF and had a 45 point week behind 47.2 percent scoring. She went off for a career-high 20 points against Creighton, shocking the Jays with critical three pointers in the third-quarter run to help USF come back. The Bulls were anticipating Pehadzic stepping into a big role following the loss of
Kitija Laksa, a two-time All-American and Player of the Year candidate, who went down with a knee injury in just the third game of the season. Pehadzic was named to The American weekly Honor Roll following her stellar week.
Sharp Shooter
Beatriz Jordao (Pombal, Portugal) is a presence in the paint for the Bulls and is an expert in getting to the rim, she owns a 66.3 percent field goal efficiency. The freshman's shooting efficiency comes on a 51-of-74 clip and is ranked sixth nationally.
Boards for the Bulls
Rebounding has been the secret weapon for the Bulls, who are out-performing opponents on the boards by 13.0 per game, good enough for eighth nationally. USF is also fifth nationally in rebounding with 584 total rebounds on the year.
The Opponent
LSU Tigers
LSU is out to a 8-3 start, but felt the sting of loss at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center twice this season. Once to American foe Tulane in a tight contest which left the Tigers down 54-56, and the second time against Kansas (61-68). LSU is on a three game winning streak, coming on the heels of a 20-point victory over Southeastern Louisiana.
The Tigers are led by Ayana Mitchell with 13.9 points per game and Khayla Pointer with 11.8 points per game. Mitchell also leads LSU with 10.3 rebounds per game. Mitchell, Pointer and Faustine Aifuwa have played and started in all 11 contests and are critical elements of LSU's defense, which helps the Tigers hold opponents to 51.5 points per game.
This will be the fifth meeting between the two programs and the series is tied 2-2. USF defeated LSU in the last meeting, the season opener in 2017-18 in Tampa.
Notable
- Rebounding is a key for USF, who is out-performing opponents on the boards by 13.0, a good enough margin for eighth nationally.
- USF is fifth in the nation in total rebounds with 584 this season.
- USF sunk a season-high 12 three-pointers and scored a season-high 102 points against Vermont. USF is the first AAC team to reach the century mark this season.
- Laura Ferreira is USF's leading scorer this season with 16.3 points per game, boosted by her 34-point game over Oklahoma, which leads The American for a single-game point total by an individual.
- Beatriz Jordao second in the American Athletic Conference in field goal percentage with 66.3 percent, which is good enough for eighth nationally.
- USF posted a perfect nonconference record of 7-0 at home in the Yuengling Center, and took down three opponents who advanced to the NCAA tournament last year.
Follow the Action
The game will be broadcast live on the SEC Network with Brenda VanLengen on the call and Andraya Carter adding color. Fans can follow the action with live radio on Bulls Unlimited and AM 1040 with former Bulls radio expert Garrett Woolvord making a cameo for one night only. Live stats will be available on StatBroadcast. Fans in Baton Rouge can enjoy free admission in a promotion by LSU.
Up Next
After the stop in Louisiana, USF will begin the race for the American Athletic Conference title, opening league play at Temple on Jan. 5 at 3 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
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.
--#GoBulls –
