USF Gears Up for Central Florida in the War on I-4, 2.0
TAMPA (Feb. 12, 2022) – The University of South Florida women's basketball team returns home to the Yuengling Center on Sunday for game two of the War on I-4 against Central Florida. Tipoff is at 2 p.m. and the game will be carried nationally on ESPN2. The Bulls look to earn a regular-season split against the Knights after Central Florida defeated the Green and Gold, 67-51, on Jan. 16.
South Florida comes into the game with the Knights looking for its ninth win in their last 11 games and 13
th in their last 16 outings.
In addition,
Shae Leverett is set to become the program's all-time leader in career games played when she steps on the court against Central Florida. She enters the game tied for first with 139 games played.
Elena Tsineke leads three players in double-digits in the scoring column, netting 14.8 points per game, and is fourth in The American in scoring after her 13-point performance at Temple on Wednesday in the Bulls' 49-40 win. Tsineke is joined by
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (11.8 ppg) and
Bethy Mununga (10.9 ppg), while
Elisa Pinzan is netting 8.1 points per game.
Sydni Harvey is averaging 8.3 points per contest.
Mununga also leads The American and is seventh in the nation, averaging 11.8 rebounds per game, and is tops in the conference and fifth in the nation in total rebounds (272). Pinzan is first in the conference and 13
th in the nation in assists per contest dishing out 5.8 per outing, and first in The American in total assists (128) which is good enough for 14
th in the nation. Against Temple on Wednesday, Pinzan became just the third player in program history to dish out her 500
th career assist.
Can't make it out to catch the Bulls? All USF games will be aired live on ESPN+. Subscriptions for the ESPN+ app are $6.99 monthly or $69.99 annually and can be packaged with Hulu and Disney+ streaming services. A step-by-step guide for subscribing to ESPN+ is located
here.
Watch Live | Listen Live | Live Stats | Media Central
GAME 24 | SUN., FEB. 13 | 2 P.M. | TAMPA, FLA. | YUENGLING CENTER
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Online: ESPN2
Roy Philpott (PxP), Brooke Weisbrod (Color)
Audio: Bulls Unlimited (iHeartRadio/GoUSFBulls.com)
Darek Sharp (PxP), Brigid Merenda (Color)
Live Stats: GoUSFBulls.com/StatBroadcast
Series: South Florida leads series, 30-15
Twitter Updates: @USFWBB
Tickets: (800) Go-Bulls; USFBullsTix.com
-/RV USF BULLS | 17-6, 7-2 AAC
Last Game: Feb. 9 at Temple, W, 49-40
Next Game: Feb. 16 vs. Cincinnati, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Jose Fernandez
Alma Mater: FIU, 1994
Career Record: 409-282 (22nd season)
at USF: Same
CENTRAL FLORIDA KNIGHTS | 17-3, 9-1 AAC
Last Game: Feb. 9 at Houston, W, 54-44
Next Game: Feb. 16 vs. Wichita State, 6 p.m.
Head Coach: Katie Abrahamson-Henderson
Alma Mater: Iowa, 1990
Career Record: 363-156 (16th season)
at Central Florida: 122-48 (Sixth season)
QUICK HITS
- South Florida is coming off a 49-40 win at Temple on Wednesday ...
Elena Tsineke and
Bethy Mununga had 13 points apiece while
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu added 11 points ... Mununga and Fankam Mendjiadeu also had 12 and 15 rebounds, respectively.
- South Florida is currently receiving votes in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches (10) Top 25 poll.
SCOUTING CENTRAL FLORIDA
- Central Florida enters the game with the Bulls with a 17-2 record and a 9-1 mark in The American ... The Knights have won five-straight games, following their 61-57 loss at Cincinnati on Jan. 22.
- Diamond Battles leads two players in double-figures for the Knights, averaging 14.8 points per game on the year, followed by Tay Sanders' 10.8 points per outing ... Destiny Thomas paces the team on the glass, averaging 8.1 boards per contest ... Masseny Kaba and Brittney Smith also grabbing 5.8 and 5.2 rebounds per game, respectively.
THE SERIES AGAINST THE KNIGHTS
- Sunday's game marks the 46th meeting between South Florida and Central Florida in the War on I-4, with the Bulls holding a 30-15 series lead, dating back to the inaugural meeting in January of 1973.
- The Bulls have won 24 of the last 31 games over the Knights, and two of the last four which includes a 65-62 win on March 2 to win the American Athletic Conference regular-season title, and a 64-54 victory in the AAC title game, to win their first conference tournament championship last season.
- The Knights handled the Bulls on Jan. 16 in Orlando, 67-51, in the first edition of the War on I-4 ...
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu led South Florida with 14 points while
Bethy Mununga and
Elena Tsineke each had 12 points ... Mununga added a game-high 11 rebounds.
UP NEXT FOR USF
- Following the game against Central Florida, South Florida will return to the Yuengling Center to face Cincinnati on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. (ESPN+) for its annual Think Pink/Play for Kay game.
- The meeting with Central Florida begins a four-game in a six-game stretch that will be played in the Yuengling Center.
About USF Women's Basketball
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF women's basketball news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
USF recorded its best season in program history during the 2020-21 campaign, all while navigating the unpredictable COVID-19 landscape. In doing so, the Bulls won their first-ever American Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles, and posted their highest ranking in the Associated Press Top25 poll – reaching as high as No. 12 – and made their ninth straight postseason appearance, and sixth NCAA appearance in the last 10 years.
USF has made 16 postseason tournament appearances and had seven NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez's 21 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 nearly 400 career games. For his efforts on the sideline during the 2020-21 season, Fernandez was named a finalist for the WBCA and semifinalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Awards. He was also tabbed the 2021 American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.
The Bulls posted a 19-4 record and had five players, during the 2020-21 campaign, the Bulls had five players recognized by The American for impressive seasons, including Elisa Pinzan (Most Improved Player, All-Conference Second Team), Maria Alvarez (Co-Sixth Player of the Year), Bethy Mununga (All-Conference First Team), Elena Tsineke (All-Conference First Team), and Sydni Harvey (All-Conference Third Team).
In addition, Harvey was named the American Athletic Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player and to the All-Tournament Team, while Mununga and Tsineke were also All-Tournament selections.
– #GoBulls –
