Bulls suffer first quarterfinal loss in program history against Shockers
USF women’s basketball lost 65-53 to Wichita State on Tuesday at Dickies Arena in Ft. Worth, Texas, marking the first time in American Conference history the No.1 seed lost before the AAC conference semifinals.
The Shockers (18-13, 6-10 AAC) snapped the Bulls’ (26-6, 15-1 AAC) 10-season run of making either the AAC tournament semifinal or championship game after the Bulls were selected as the favorite to win the tourney.
South Florida fell behind during a 10-2 run by Wichita State in the first quarter. Midway through the second quarter, the Bulls trailed by 15 points. They ended the first half down 32-20 and shot roughly 32% from the field, marking their second lowest scoring half this season.
USF was able to cut the gap to two points with a little under six minutes remaining in the third quarter through an 11-0 scoring run, but it wasn’t enough to sustain a win.
Wichita State senior guard Curtessia Dean hit a three-pointer to halt South Florida’s run. WSU went up by as many as 15 points to put an end to the Bulls’ AAC title hopes.
Senior guard Elena Tsineke led South Florida with 19 points. She acknowledged that it was hard to overcome their disastrous first half, despite remaining hopeful that they would turn the game around.
“I know I missed so many shots, but I still believed that we could win that game. We had a slow start, so that hurt us in the end,” Tsineke said. “If we started better and earlier, [the outcome] would be better.”
While South Florida exited the tournament earlier than expected, there is still more basketball left for them to play this season. Coach Jose Fernandez said they will need to put this loss behind them with the March Madness tournament beginning in just a few days.
“I don’t want one loss to diminish the job that [Tsineke and senior forward Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu] have done and the rest of the guys in that locker room because we’ve had a very, very good year…” Fernandez said. “It’s a life lesson. When you’re in college and you play sports, you learn a lot of life lessons. Well, now we’ve got to regroup.”
On Sunday, South Florida will find out where they will be seeded in the NCAA tournament. Before the conference tournament, USF was projected as the No.7 seed in the Greenville region.
The women’s NCAA tournament bracket will be revealed during the selection show on ESPN Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.
More Stories
COLUMN: Cherish the press box moments
I still remember standing at mid-field as USF Football celebrated its Boca Raton Bowl win over Syracuse. Picture this scene: The crowd rushes to the field to surround the team and catch a glimpse of the Boca Raton Bowl trophy. “Go Bulls” echoed throughout the stadium, and green and gold confetti was everywhere. I soaked […]
Here’s how these undrafted USF football players’ careers turned out
Ahead of Thursday’s NFL Draft, many players wait in anticipation to hear their names called in the first round. For some, it’s an instant ticket to stardom. But being selected on the first day of the draft isn’t the only route to a successful career. Fifteen former undrafted NFL players are enshrined in the NFL […]
Column: USF men’s basketball, thanks for the fun season
This is a personal column about assistant sports editor Noah Vinsky’s first-hand experience covering men’s basketball. Sports have always run in my blood. Growing up, ESPN was nearly on a constant loop on my living room television. I came to USF knowing I wanted to be a writer. The Oracle seemed like a great place […]
USF’s Mindy McCord builds culture of “family and love” into lacrosse
At 23 years old, a career in coaching was not what Mindy McCord had envisioned. After a stint playing for one of the top field hockey teams in Australia following a successful college playing career, she returned to America. McCord was on track to earn a master’s degree in counseling at Virginia Tech while coaching […]
USF campus ministers offer perspective on stadium development: ‘Exciting benefit of exposure.’
Take a tranquil stroll down Sycamore Drive. It’s a quieter part of campus, hidden away from the usual hustle and bustle of USF. It’s home to an area colloquially known as “Religious Row,” a collection of on-campus religious organizations. In just a few years – with the construction of an on-campus football stadium – the […]
Here’s why these USF softball players chose their jersey numbers
For athletes, the number they wear is more than the added fabric on the back of their jersey. It often tells a deeper story about the players — who they are and where they come from. Here’s why these three USF softball players chose their respective jersey numbers. Related: USF softball is gaining momentum during […]