Houston, Texas – Dec. 29, 2024 – Graduate guard Sammie Puisis led all scorers with 23 points in South Florida women's basketball's (8-6, 1-0 AAC), 74-64, conference opening victory against Rice (7-6, 0-1 AAC) at Tudor Fieldhouse on Sunday afternoon. The Bulls are now winners of three straight contests.

Puisis (23 points) has hit double-figures for the 11th time this season (54th career game in double-digit points), 20+ points in four contests this year, and has five games this season with four or more 3-pointers made. Graduate guard Mama Dembele added 11 points, four assists, and three steals. Sophomore guard Vittoria Blasigh (10 points) and redshirt-senior guard Romi Levy (10 points) rounded out the four Bulls to finish with double-digit points.

The Owls were paced by Victoria Flores with a 22-point outing.
 
HOW THE GAME WAS DECIDED
In the final five minutes of action, South Florida outscored Rice, 11-8. Dembele scored seven of her 11 total points within the stretch as USF secured the victory.
 
COACH FERNANDEZ SAID

 
HIGHLIGHTS

 
NOTABLE NUMBERS

• South Florida is now on a three-game win streak.
• South Florida's record in AAC openers improved to 12-1 and the Bulls have now won 12 consecutive conference lid lifters.
• Puisis (23 points) has hit double-figures for the 11th time this season (54th career game in double-digit points) and 20+ points in four contests this year.
• Puisis now has five games this season with 4-or more 3PTM.
• Dembele (11 points) collected her third double-digit performance of the season.
• Blasigh (10 points) logged her eighth game of the season in double-figures and Levy (10 points) collected her fourth.

 
UP NEXT
South Florida will ring in the new year as it welcomes Charlotte to the Yuengling Center on Wednesday, Jan. 1. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. and the action will stream live on ESPN+.
 
TICKETS
Fans can purchase women's basketball tickets by calling 1-800-GoBulls or at USFBullsTix.com.
 
ABOUT SOUTH FLORIDA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
South Florida women's basketball has made 18 postseason tournament appearances and had nine NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez's 25 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided the Bulls to 11 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2008-09 WNIT championship, has won over 450 career games, and is the all-time wins leader in the American Athletic Conference.
 
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