GAME 28 | WED., FEB. 15, 2023 | 7 P.M. | ORLANDO, FLA. | ADDITION FINANCIAL ARENA
Watch Live | Listen Live | Live Stats
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Online: ESPN+ ($)
Austin Lyon (PxP), BJ Taylor (Color), Hannah Jo Groves (Sideline)
Audio: The Strike 102.5 HD-2 (TuneIn App/GoUSFBulls.com)
Darek Sharp (PxP)
Live Stats: GoUSFBulls.com
Series: South Florida leads the series, 31-18
Twitter Updates: @USFWBB
Tickets: UCFKnights.com
RV/23 USF BULLS | 22-5 (11-1, AAC)
Last Game: Feb. 12 vs. Houston, L, 71-69
Next Game: Feb. 18 vs. SMU, 4:30 p.m.
Head Coach: Jose Fernandez
Alma Mater: FIU, 1994
Career Record: 438-290 (23rd season)
at South Florida: Same
CENTRAL FLORIDA KNIGHTS | 11-11 (2-8, AAC)
Last Game: Feb. 12 at Memphis, L, 50-48 (ot)
Next Game: Feb. 18 at East Carolina, 2 p.m.
Head Coach: Sytia Messer
Alma Mater: Limestone College, 2006
Career Record: 65-52 (Fourth season)
at Central Florida: 11-10 (First season)
TAMPA (February 13, 2023) – The University of South Florida women's basketball team heads across Interstate-4 to meet Central Florida on Wednesday for the final regular season edition of the War on I-4. Game time at Addition Financial Arena is slated for 7 p.m. (ESPN+). This is the second meeting of the season between the two schools with the Bulls dominating the Knights, 83-51, on Jan. 22 at the Yuengling Center.
South Florida is inching closer to possibly winning its second American Athletic Conference regular season title in the past three years. The Bulls can earn at least a share of the regular season crown by winning on Wednesday at Central Florida and on Saturday against SMU or a Houston loss and South Florida win. Two wins by the Bulls and a loss by Houston will give the Green and Gold the title outright.
South Florida, who is receiving votes in the Associated Press poll (19) and is ranked No. 23 in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches top 25 this week, comes into Wednesday's game 22-5 overall and 11-1 in the American Athletic Conference, good enough for first place in the standings. The Bulls have won 12 of their last 13 games, 14 out of the last 16, and 15 of the last 17 outings.
Elena Tsineke is averaging a conference-best 17.3 points per game on the year and leads three players on the Bulls' roster in double figures after her 24-point performance against Houston on Sunday.
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu is second in scoring, averaging 16.8 points per game, and is also grabbing 12.7 rebounds per outing. Her rebounding average is tops in the conference and third in the nation. Fankam Mendjiadeu is coming off a 19-point, 19-rebound afternoon against the Cougars over the weekend.
Sammie Puisis rounds out the double-digit scorers netting 15.8 points per contest, while
Carla Brito is just shy of double-digits averaging 9.0 points per game.
Central Florida comes into its game against the Bulls with an 11-11 record and a 2-8 mark in The American following its 50-48 overtime loss at Memphis on Feb. 11. The Knights have dropped eight of their last 10 games after starting the season 9-3.
Destiny Thomas is the lone player on the Central Florida roster averaging double-figures on the season for the Knights, netting 11.3 points per game. She is followed by Laila Jewett who is just shy of double-digits, netting 9.3 points per contest. Rachel Ranke and Anzhané Hutton are each averaging 8.6 points per game on the year.
Thomas is also leading the Knights on the glass, grabbing 10.5 rebounds per outing.
Following South Florida's game at Central Florida, the Bulls return to the Yuengling Center for the final two home games of the regular season, beginning on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. when they host SMU (ESPN+). The Green and Gold close out their non-conference home slate on Feb. 22 against Tulsa for Senior Night. Game time against the Golden Hurricane is slated for 7 p.m. (ESPN+).
The Bulls will wrap up their regular season schedule at Cincinnati on March 1 at 7 p.m. (ESPN+), before heading to the American Athletic Conference Tournament, March 6-9, at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
Catch The Bulls on Bulls Unlimited & ESPN+
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 10th 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.
– #GoBulls –
