GAME 21 | WED., JAN. 18, 2023 | 8 P.M. ET | HOUSTON, TEXAS | FERTITTA CENTER
Watch Live | Listen Live | Live Stats
 
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Online: ESPN+ ($)                                    
Audio: Strike 102.5 HD-2 (TuneIn App/GoUSFBulls.com)
Darek Sharp (PxP)
Live Stats: GoUSFBulls.com
Series: South Florida leads series, 20-8
Twitter Updates: @USFWBB
Tickets: UHCougars.com
 
RV/RV USF BULLS | 16-4 (5-0, AAC)
Last Game: Jan. 14 vs. Tulane, W, 66-53
Next Game: Jan. 22 vs. Central Florida, 2 p.m.
Head Coach: Jose Fernandez
Alma Mater: FIU, 1994
Career Record: 432-289 (23rd season)
at South Florida: Same
 
HOUSTON COUGARS | 6-11 (3-1, AAC)
Last Game: Jan. 14 at Tulsa, L, 70-68
Next Game: Jan. 21 at SMU, 2 p.m.
Head Coach: Ronald Hughey
Alma Mater: Limestone College, 2006
Career Record: 112-149 (Ninth season)
at Houston: Same
 
TAMPA (January 17, 2023) – The University of South Florida women's basketball team heads back to the Lone Star State for the third time during the 2022-23 campaign to face Houston in a key American Athletic Conference showdown. Game time at the Fertitta Center is set for 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Wednesday is the first of two meetings between the two schools during the regular season. The Bulls and Cougars will face each other again on Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. in the Yuengling Center on ESPN2.
 
The Bulls come into Saturday's game 16-4 overall and 5-0 in the American Athletic Conference and look for their seventh straight win and their 10^th victory in their last 12 games.
 
Elena Tsineke is averaging a conference-best 17.2 points per game on the year and leads three players on the Bulls' roster in double figures. Sammie Puisis joins Tsineke, netting 16.5 points after her career-high 28-point effort in South Florida's last outing against Tulane on Jan. 14. Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu rounds out the Bulls' double-figure scorers averaging 16.0 points per game. Carla Brito falls just shy averaging 9.0 points per contest.
 
Aerial Wilson is second in the conference in assists (88) and assists per game (4.4).
 
Houston comes into its game against the Bulls with a 6-11 record and a 3-1 mark in The American following its 70-68 loss at Tulsa on Jan. 14. The Cougars had won three of their last four, before the setback, after starting the season 2-9.
 
Laila Blair is one of two players averaging double-figures on the season, netting 14.4 points per game. She is followed by Tiara Young who is averaging 12.6 points per contest. Two players, however, are just shy of double-digits per game; Bria Patterson (9.5) and Tatyana Hill (9.1).
 
Hill is also leading the Cougars on the glass, grabbing 7.4 rebounds per contest.
 
After they meet with Houston, the Bulls will return to the Yuengling Center on Jan. 22 for the first edition of the 2022-23 War on I-4 against Central Florida (2 p.m., ESPNU) before heading out for back-to-back road games at Tulsa on Jan. 25 (5 p.m. ET, ESPNU) at Memphis on Jan. 28 (3 p.m. ET, ESPN+).   
 
Catch The Bulls on ESPN+ & Bulls Unlimited
The majority of USF's regular-season games will be streamed live on the ESPN+ platform. The American Athletic Conference and ESPN began a new 12-year television rights agreement which started in 2020-21. Subscriptions for the ESPN+ app is $9.99 monthly or $99.99 annually and can be packaged with Hulu and Disney+ streaming services. A step-by-step guide for subscribing to ESPN+ is located here.
 
In addition, all games this season will be broadcast live on USF Bulls Unlimited, with Darek Sharp (home and away) and Brigid Merenda (for home games only) on the call. Bulls Unlimited is available via the free Tune In app (search "Bulls Unlimited'') and provides static-free quality whether you're listening on your streaming device, laptop or desktop.
 
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).
 
South Florida recorded its 10^th 20-win season during the 2021-22 campaign while playing in its sixth American Athletic Conference championship game in its nine years in the conference. The Bulls achieved their highest national ranking of the season when it checked in at No. 13 in the Nov. 30 Associated Press Top 25 Poll, and advanced to their seventh NCAA Tournament appearance in the last nine years.
 
USF has made 17 postseason tournament appearances and had eight NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez's 22 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to 10 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship, and has won over 400 career games. 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 at the conclusion of the 2020-21 campaign.
 
In 2021-22, the Bulls had three players recognized by The American for impressive seasons, including Elena Tsineke (All-Conference First Team), Bethy Mununga (All-Conference Second Team) and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (All-Conference Second Team).
 
In addition, Tsineke and Mununga were named to the American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team.