Game Details
No. 25/22 South Florida 85, Cincinnati 55
USF (26-5, 15-1 AAC), Cincinnati (9-20, 2-14 AAC)
Wednesday, March 1, 2023 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Cincinnati, Ohio | Fifth Third Arena
TAMPA (March 1, 2023) — The University of South Florida women's basketball team got 28 points from
Elena Tsineke and 21 points from
Sammie Puisis as the Bulls closed out the regular season in dominating fashion with an 85-55 win over Cincinnati at Fifth Third Arena on Wednesday.
South Florida improves to 26-5 on the year and ends American Athletic Conference play 15-1. The Bearcats fall to 9-20 overall and 2-14 in league play.
The Bulls hit on all cylinders from the opening tip led by Puisis' 15 first-quarter points, all from three-point land. South Florida closed out the first 10 minutes of play on a 12-2 run over three-plus minutes to lead, 25-16, and then held Cincinnati to just nine points in the second quarter to lead at the break, 43-25, and never looked back.
The Green and Gold eventually extended its lead to a game-high 30, 67-37, at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu scored 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while the Bulls were led on the glass by
Carla Brito with a career-high 11 boards.
Puisis' seven threes (7-for-11) made is the most that Cincinnati has given up in a game this season.
Eight of the nine players that played for South Florida found their way into the scoring column.
Notable
- Wednesday's starters for the Bulls were: G Elena Tsineke, G Aerial Wilson, F Sammie Puisis, F Carla Brito, and F Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu … South Florida is 24-5 with this lineup.
- The win over Cincinnati improves the Bulls' record against the Bearcats to 24-17 in the all-time series … South Florida has won its last five straight games against Cincinnati and 17 of its last 20.
- The win for the Bulls is their 16th in their last 17 games and 18th in their last 20.
- Tonight's win ties South Florida's second-most victories in program history with 26, equaling the 2017-18 team that finished the year 26-8 … The Bulls have won 20 or more games 11 times in their 51 seasons, all of them coming under Head Coach Jose Fernandez.
- In addition, South Florida's 15th conference win equals the most in program history joining the 2014-15 team that finished its second season in The American, 15-3 … The Bulls' 15-1 record this season in the AAC marks the best conference record in program history.
- Elena Tsineke's 28 points against Cincinnati mark her 86th career double-figure scoring game in her 110th career game with the Bulls … Tsineke's 20-point performance was the 28th of her career at South Florida.
- With her fifth point of tonight's game against Cincinnati, Fankam Mendjiadeu reached the 1,500-career point plateau … She finished the game with 1,505 career points.
- Sammie Puisis surpassed former South Florida great Kitija Laksa (2016-17), moving into third on the single-season three-point list with her first trey of the night … She now has 108 threes made on the year, eight behind Janae Stokes (2008-09, 116) and 18 behind Laksa (2017-18, 126) … Laksa is also The American single-season leader.
- Carla Brito grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds against the Bearcats, surpassing her previous mark of 10 set three times this season.
Up Next
The Bulls now get ready for the American Athletic Conference Tournament, March 6-9, at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. South Florida will begin its quest of winning its second conference tournament title in the past three seasons on March 7 at 1 p.m. ET against the winner of the first-round game between the eight and nine seeds. That game will be played on March 6 at 2 p.m. ET (ESPN+).
Catch The Bulls on Bulls Unlimited & ESPN+
All of South Florida's American Athletic Conference Tournament games will be streamed live on the ESPN+ platform, with the championship game being caried live on ESPNU. The American and ESPN began a new 12-year television rights agreement which started in 2020-21. Subscriptions for the ESPN+ app are $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
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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 –
