USF Athletics

South Florida Looks to Get Back on the Winning Track at Temple

February 08, 2022

TAMPA (Feb. 8, 2022) – The University of South Florida women's basketball team heads back on the road for another crucial American Athletic Conference contest when the Bulls face Temple on Wednesday. Tipoff at McGonigle Hall is set for 7 p.m. The game can be seen on ESPN+ ($). This will be the second meeting of the season with the Green and Gold taking the first game, 75-67, in overtime in the Yuengling Center on Jan. 22.
 
South Florida comes into the game with Temple looking for its eighth win in their last 10 games, and 12th in their last 15 outings. The Bulls have won six of the last seven against the Owls.
 
Elena Tsineke leads three players in double-digits in the scoring column, netting 14.9 points per game, and is fourth in The American in scoring after her 18-point performance against Tulane on Sunday in the Bulls' 67-55 loss. Tsineke is joined by Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (11.9 ppg) and Bethy Mununga (10.8 ppg), while Sydni Harvey (8.3 ppg) falls just shy of double figures. Elisa Pinzan is netting 8.1 points per game.
 
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 (260). Pinzan is first in the conference and 10^th in the nation in assists per contest dishing out 6.0 per outing, and first in The American in total assists (126) which is good enough for 15^th in the nation. Pinzan is also just one assist shy of dishing out the 500^th of her career.
 
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 23 | WED., FEB. 9 | 7 P.M. | PHILADELPHIA, PA. | MCGONIGLE HALL
 
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Online: ESPN+ ($)                                    
Kevin Copp (PxP), Nicki Jones (Color), Lindsey Moppert (Sideline)
Audio: Bulls Unlimited 2 (iHeartRadio/GoUSFBulls.com)
Darek Sharp (PxP)
Live Stats: GoUSFBulls.com/StatBroadcast
Series: South Florida leads series, 15-3
Twitter Updates: @USFWBB
Tickets: Owlsports.com
 
-/RV USF BULLS | 16-6, 6-2 AAC
Last Game: Feb. 6 vs. Tulane, L, 67-55
Next Game: Feb. 13 vs. Central Florida, 2 p.m.
Head Coach: Jose Fernandez
Alma Mater: FIU, 1994
Career Record: 408-282 (22nd season)
at USF: Same
 
TEMPLE OWLS | 11-9, 6-3 AAC
Last Game: Feb. 6 vs. East Carolina, W, 60-59
Next Game: Feb. 12 at Tulsa, 2 p.m.
Head Coach: Tonya Cardoza
Alma Mater: Virginia, 1991
Career Record: 249-182 (14th Season)
at Temple: Same
 
QUICK HITS
- USF is coming off a tough 67-55 loss to Tulane on Sunday ... Elena Tsineke led the way with 18 points while Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu and Bethy Mununga added 15 and 14 points, respectively ... Mununga also grabbed 13 rebounds on the night.
 
- South Florida is currently receiving votes in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches (10) Top 25 poll.
 
SCOUTING TEMPLE
- Temple enters its game with USF with an 11-9 record and a 6-3 mark in The American ... The Owls are coming off a 60-59 win over East Carolina on Sunday ... The win was the Owls' second-straight and sixth in their last nine games.
 
- Mia Davis is one of two players on Temple's roster to average double figures in the scoring column, netting 19.1 points per game ... She is followed by Alexa Williamson who is averaging 10.0 points per game ... Davis also leads the team on the glass, grabbing 7.3 rebounds per contest.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST THE OWLS
- Wednesday's game marks the 19th meeting between USF and Temple with the Bulls holding a 15-3 series lead, dating back to the inaugural meeting in January of 2014 ... USF is 6-2 all-time against the Owls in Philadelphia.
 
- The Bulls defeated Temple earlier this season, 75-67, in overtime during their meeting in Tampa.
 
UP NEXT FOR USF
- Following the game at Temple, USF returns to the Yuengling Center for a major match-up with Central Florida in the second game this season in the War on I-4 ... Tipoff against the Knights is slated for 2 p.m. on ESPN2.
 
- The meeting with Central Florida will begin 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.