Philly College Sports

Tag: USF Women’s Basketball

  • Temple Battles But Falls to USF

    Temple Battles But Falls to USF

    Mia Davis Scored a Game-High 14 Points in the Loss

    PHILADELPHIA, PA. 2/9/2022 –

    When the Temple Owls and the USF Bulls play against each other the game is usually a physical battle. This one, no different. The Owls fought from behind the entire game. Trailing by three late in the last four-plus minutes, Temple did not score again and drop the decision 49 – 40 to the USF at McGonigle Hall. Effort was there as the Cherry and White nearly erased two 11-point Bulls leads, but the breaks were not.

    “Even though we lost this game we were really fighting,” said Temple Coach Tonya Cardoza. “In the second half to be down 11 and continue to fight, fight, fight to the point where there were three minutes to play and its anyone’s ball game, and, yes, very physical, and we’re in the game fighting.”

    During the last quarter of the game each team tried to get control of the game, and it was not going to be on offense. USF won the last ten minutes by an 8 – 4 margin, and each team would score only two baskets. USF pulled ahead by making 4 of 6 free throws. Temple did not go to the foul line.

    Owls guard Aniya Gourdine made a jumper with 4:13 to cut the gap to 43 – 40. It would be the last points Temple would score as the Owls missed their last seven shots. USF did not run away with the game getting just one more basket by Elisa Perzan at the 2:09 mark. The Bulls put the game away at the foul line.

    From the field Temple made 18 of 62 shots (29%), and made only 2 of 15 from beyond the arc. USF did not fare much better making 19 of their 61 attempts (31.1%), and drained 2 of their three-pointers. On the foul line the Bulls had an advantage making 9 of 12 while the Owls were just 2 of 3 from the charity stripe as 7 fouls were called on UCF. Temple had 18 whistles.

    “With our style of play we usually get to the foul line more than three times,” said Cardoza.

    “We worked our tails off to get back into the game. “We’re being super aggressive looking to attack. I felt like we got the short end of the stick.”

    Temple turned the ball over 17 times leading to 13 USF points. The Bulls had 13 turnovers, but the Owls did not make them pay for their miscues getting only 4 points off turnovers.

    Kyra Wood pulled down 11 rebounds for the Cherry and White, one shy of her career-high. She added 6 points. Gourdine contributed 8 points and 3 assists.

    USF had three players score in double-digits as Bethy Mununga and Elena Tsineke each scored 13 points. Dulsy Fankam Mendjiadeu registered a double-double getting 11 points and 15 rebounds. Mununga pulled down 12 caroms. Half of both players rebounds came off the offensive glass.

    South Florida improves to 17 – 6 and 7 – 2 in the league. Their 49 points matched their lowest output of the season at Tennessee.

    Temple is 11 – 10 on the campaign and 6 – 4 in the American. The Owls travel to Tulsa for a Saturday game before returning home to host league leading UCF a week later. This was not the result they wanted, and the team needs to focus on continual improvement.

    “We can control how many second chance opportunities we give up,” Cardoza said. “We can control how many times we turn the basketball over. We can control getting into the gym and be able to make open shots. Things you can control, we have to take advantage of those things, and today we didn’t.”

    Boxscore

    Written By: Glenn Papazian

    Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com

    Mia Davis (in grey) With a Field Goal Attempt

  • Fourth Quarter Surge Lifts USF Past Temple

    Fourth Quarter Surge Lifts USF Past Temple

    February 24, 2021 –

    The Temple Owls looked to upset the #13 USF Bulls. The Owls lead 40 – 35 after three quarters. But USF outscored Temple 21 – 7 in the final 10 minutes and remain undefeated in the American with a 56 – 47 victory. The Owls were there, primed for the signature win. It got away and was a disappointment for the team.

    “Very disappointing,” said Owls forward Mia Davis. “We could see very clearly we were right there with them.”

    The game evolved into one where points would be at a premium it was on the defense. The effort for the Cherry and White was there. After three quarters USF was at 35 points, half of their per game average.

    The fouls eventually cost Temple with two starters on the bench, and free throw shooting. The Cherry and White committed 20 personals to give the Green and Gold 19 points at the stripe.

    “To hold them to fifty six points that was one of our better defensive efforts that we’ve had,” said Temple Coach Tonya Cardoza. “But we gave them 19 points at the free throw line and if they’re scoring 19 points from the free throw line that means we’ve done a bad job in a sense that we committed fouls.”

    With just under 9 minutes to play Davis gave the Owls a 42 – 37 lead. Kristyna Brabencova answered with a basket that started a 15 – 0 Bulls run over the next four and a half minutes. Temple could not respond on offense, then USF put the game away with from the free throw line hitting all 11 in the last quarter.

    “It was a lost opportunity,” Cardoza said. “I feel like we had them, we had an opportunity. We were in the game in a great position but we did a lot of things to ourselves.”

    Davis led the Owls with 23 points and 9 rebounds. Guard Jasha Clinton scored 20 points highlighted by 4 from three-point land. Alexa Williamson added 4 points. Those three players were the only ones who scored. Emani Mayo pulled down 9 rebounds.

    There was one USF players who scored in double-figures, Shae Leveret scored 11 points and 5 points were from the charity stripe. Forward Bethy Mununga grabbed 20 rebounds and scored 8 points.

    USF goes to 14 – 1 overall and 11 – 0 in the league.

    Temple drops to 9 – 9 and are 9 – 6 in the American. The Owls go to Florida to play UCF over the weekend, then host Memphis prior to the league tournament. The team goes with the knowledge that they can compete with ranked teams. The mindset is simple for the Cherry and White.

    “We’re just moving forward trying to win out,” Davis said.

    Boxscore

    Written By: Glenn Papazian

    Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com

    Mia Davis


  • Temple Outlasts USF, Wins Its 5th Straight

    Temple Outlasts USF, Wins Its 5th Straight

    PHILADELPHIA, PA. 1/16/2020 – The Temple Owls entered the game riding a three-game winning streak in the American, four in a row overall. The Owls met the South Florida (USF) Bulls, who won their last three games, in one of the more understated, yet fiercest rivalry in conference.

    The Owls are now winners of five consecutive holding off a late USF rally to win 69 – 66 at McGonigle Hall. Junior forward Mia Davis led the Owls with a game-high 25 points, her sixth twenty point game of the season.

    “That was a great win for us,” said Temple Coach Tonya Cardoza. “Lately in our conference people had big leads and specifically, yesterday, two teams had 16 point leads and lost the game. We were able to withstand their run at the end. I’m excited about it and our players are excited about it since its been a long time since we beat South Florida.”

    The game was expected to be close. In the first half it was competitively close and statistically close. Temple led 33 – 30 at halftime. In the third quarter the Owls started with a 16 – 5 run making four three-pointers along the way. On defense the Bulls were held to 33% shooting making 5 of 15 from the floor. The lead stretched to 18 points on a traditional three-point play by Davis with 1:16 remaining in the third quarter.

    “I felt like we got stops and not let them get anything easy,” said Cardoza about the third quarter run. “They had some turnovers. We were able to score and got ‘and one’s’ so we were coming down the floor getting three points every time.”

    It appeared as though the Owls were cruising. But as Lee Corso says “not so fast my friend.”

    The Bulls rallied in the fourth quarter starting the final 10 minutes with a 16 – 5 run of their own to get to within 62 – 59 with 3:41 on the clock. Twice on the last 2:20 USF (10 – 7, 2 – 1) got to within two points. The first on a three by Elena Tsineke, who scored a team-high 20 points. The last at 66 – 62 at the 1:46 mark on a jumper by Sydni Harvey, who had 19 points.

    Temple closed it out with free throws by Marissa Mackins, Davis, and Ashley Jones, who scored 16 points. The Owls are winning the close ones, a sign of growth.

    “Since La Salle, and outside of SMU, the games have been close and we have found a way to win,” Cardoza said. “The growth for me is when you are up and take that and run with it, that’s the growth that I am looking for. When the game is on the line we are finding ways to win it and that’s key.”

    Both teams are among the top rebounding teams in the American. The expectation was that it would be tough and physical underneath. Davis said that lived up to its billing.

    “They were being very aggressive,” Davis said. “Me and the other post players had to be physical back with them and box out.”

    Davis had a team-high 8 rebounds while Bethy Mununga pulled down a game-high 9 caroms. The Bulls outrebounded the Owls 43 – 31.

    The victory keeps the Cherry and White on a winning streak and winning makes it fun.

    “It’s really exciting because going into the game it motivates you more to keep that streak going,” said Jones. “It’s more exciting going into the next game.”

    Temple (11 – 6, 4 – 1) goes on the road to Wichita State on Sunday, then comes home to play Penn. The winner of that game will share the Big Five championship with Villanova.

    Boxscore

    Written By: Glenn Papazian

    Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com

    Mia Davis who scored a game-high 25 points

  • Temple Defeated by USF in American Opener

    Temple Defeated by USF in American Opener

    PHILADELPHIA, PA. 1/5/2019 – The Temple Owls started their conference schedule returning to McGonigle Hall against the University of South Florida Bulls who snapped a three game losing streak defeating the Owls 63 – 53. It was the fourth straight win by USF over the Cherry and White.

    USF won the battle of the boards and with that the game. The Bulls outrebounded the Owls by a 57 – 40 margin, and pulled down 26 on the offensive end. Since neither team shot the ball well, both in the low 30’s percentage, rebounds were plentiful and important. In points in the paint and second chance points USF had a 52 – 38 edge.

    Turnovers cost Temple committing 18. USF had more, 19, but won the points off turnover battle 20 – 14.

    “We knew what South Florida was capable of doing,” said Temple Coach Tonya Cardoza. “It came down to rebounding and turnovers. They basically threw us around down there when it was time to go crash.”

    Still, the Cherry and White stood up to the challenge and stayed in contention with the Green and Gold by trying to force an uptempo pace. Although they did not take a lead, the Owls got to within 49 – 45 with 4:45 to play on a Breanna Perry layup. South Florida (10 – 5, 1 – 0) regained control of the game behind a three-pointer by Enna Pehadzic with 3:07 on the clock.

    Pehadzic had a career-high 13 rebounds. Shea Leverett got her second double-double of the season for USF with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Syndi Harvery recorded a team-best 19 points.

    Temple got 19 points from Mia Davis. Alliya Butts added 16 points. She had two steals which tied her with LaKeisha Eddy for the program top spot with 252. Butts was more concerned with the outcome.

    “I just wanted to get the win,” said Butts.

    Freshman Alexa Williamson was just short of a double-double getting 9 points and 8 rebounds. The forward Houston continues to get better.

    “The last couple of weeks she has impressed me,” Cardoza said. “She is showing she can do a lot of things. She wants the ball and was working hard. She is gaining confidence and her teammates have confidence in her as well.”

    Temple is 4 – 9 this season. They are 1 – 2 over the past three games and host Tulane on Tuesday. This team is showing signs of improvement. The challenge is putting together a complete forty minute game.

    “I definitely feel like we have improved some on the defensive side,” said Cardoza. “We are not giving up as many points as we have in the past, but not enough to get on the winning end. Improvement has not sustained over forty minutes. It may be within possessions. It’s just being in the moment of the defensive side.”

    Written By: Glenn Papazian

    Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com

    Alliya Butts Directing the Temple Offense

  • Samuelson Leads UConn To The American Tournament Championship

    Samuelson Leads UConn To The American Tournament Championship

    UNCASVILLE, CT. 3/6/2017 – UConn forward Katie Lou Samuelson rewrote much of the record book in the game.  She set an NCAA record for consecutive made three-pointers shooting a perfect 10 – 10 from beyond the arc.  It was also a tournament mark for made three-pointers.  Samuelson also set the mark for most points in a tournament game with 40 breaking the record of 30 set by Feyonda Fitzgerald of Temple two nights earlier. For the game Samuelson made 12 of 14 field goals, was a perfect 6 for 6 from the line, got 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and played good defense.

    “The thing was I didn’t focus on threes, I tried to focus on just playing,” said Samuelson.  “They kept going in and I kept shooting it.  I was getting open shots.”

    The result, Connecticut keeps its perfect record in the title game with a 100 – 44 blitz over USF. With the win in the Frontier Communications American Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Championship at the Mohegan Sun Arena, UConn claims the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.  More streaks? The Huskies are 32 – 0 and have won 107 consecutive games, the longest in NCAA history.

    Samuelson was named the tournament Most Outstanding Player.

    “She was special,” USF Coach Jose Fernanadez said about Samuelson.  “She was in rhythm.  She didn’t force shots. She let the shots come to her and knocked them down.”

    In the four year history of this tournament the UConn Huskies appeared in every championship game.  Three consecutive times the opponent has been the USF Bulls. It was UConn and Louisville in the first title tilt in case you’re interested.  Also, the Huskies are now 82 – 0 in the American.

    The issue was decided early.  Eight minutes into the game the top-seeded Huskies lead 22 – 7, forced 8 Bulls turnovers, and had a 15 – 0 edge in points off turnovers.

    By the half the lead extended to 62 – 23.  Connecticut shot 24 of 34 and made 10 of 14 from beyond the arc.  Points off turnovers grew to a 25 – 2 on 14 Bulls miscues.  Samuelson had 29 points in the half.  It took the California native less than 30 seconds to break the record with a three-pointer at the 7:32 mark.

    “There is not much you can say when you see something like that, the way it transpired,” said UConn Coach Geno Auriemma.  “We just had something going on that was hard to capture.  We want to capture and hold on to it for a long, long time.  It started in the first four possessions.  We made hardly any mistakes at all on defense and that got it going on the other end.”

    Napheesa Collier added 15 points for the Huskies to go along with 6 rebounds and 4 assists.  Gabby Williams scored 12 points and took down 3 rebounds and handed out 4 assists.  Saniya Chong scored 11 points. Natalie Butler had 10 for a UConn team that went 38 of 61 (62.3%) from the field and were an incredible 16 of 27 (59.3%) from three-point land.

    USF were led by Dorottya Nagy who scored 15 points.  Kitija Laksa counted for 13 points.

    Williams and Collier were named to the All-Tournament team along with Jespersen and Laksa. Fitzgerald was also named to the team.

    UConn Seniors Accepting The Championship Trophy

     

     

     

     

     

  • Temple Falls To USF In The American Semifinal

    Temple Falls To USF In The American Semifinal

    UNCASVILLE, CT. 3/4/2017 – A 10 – 0 run early in the fourth quarter gave the USF Bulls the space they needed to hold off a rally by the Temple Owls to earn a berth in the American Championship final against Connecticut for the third straight year.

    “This was a tough one to swallow,” said Temple Coach Tonya Cardoza.  “We couldn’t get any shots to fall down for us. We had a few defensive lapses.  We so wanted to get to that championship game.”

    Temple got to within 60 – 56 with a bit over 20 seconds to play on a three-pointer by Alliya Butts, who 17 in the game.  Her two free throws got it to a three-point deficit, but it was too little too late.  USF put the game away by making 10 of 14 free throws over the last three minutes.

    The Temple game plan was to contain the USF guards.  The offense for the Bulls ran through the inside play of Tamara Henshaw and Maria Jespersen who combined for 29 points in the game.  Jespersen added a team-high 13 rebounds.  Of the 15 points for Henshaw, 11 came in the first half.

    “Henshaw scored a lot in the first half, but that was taking away possessions for their guards,” said Temple Coach Tonya Cardoza.  “We did a good job of limiting their touches, so the option was to go inside.  They had to find another option, and that’s the one they went with.  She did a really good job.”

    Kitija Laksa led USF with 18 points.

    For the Owls Feyonda Fitzgerald contributed 18 points and added 6 assists. For the tournament Fitzgerald totaled 48 points while handing out 13 assists.  The numbers did not matter to Fitzgerald, the team did.

    “I am doing whatever I have to do to help my team win a game,” said Fitzgerald. “Whether it is diving on the floor, or playing defense, or scoring the ball, or finding an open teammate.”

    Tanaya Atkinson recorded her 10th double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

    “She was concentrating, finishing, and rebounding the basketball,” Cardoza said of the play of Atkinson.  “She has been doing this all year.  These numbers are what she has been doing all season.  She is going to do whatever the team needs her to do.”

    USF goes to the final.  Could this be their year?

    “It’s Connecticut,” said Laksa.  “You can prepare, but they always will surprise.  We can make it a tough battle. It’s the third game of the year playing them.  The third time is the lucky one?”

    The Owls will play a waiting game for the selection committee.  They have a good chance to be selected, still.  But this game can have an effect on the seeding and site.

    “This was one of those games that could take you to a different level,” Cardoza said.  “A different seed possible depending upon what happens to different teams.  That was a reason why we wanted to get to the championship game.  I am sure we will be selected, but disappointed if we were not.”

    Boxscore

    Written By: Glenn Papazian

    Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com

     

  • American Women’s Basketball Tournament – Semifinal Recap

    American Women’s Basketball Tournament – Semifinal Recap

    UNCASVILLE, CT. 3/5/2017 – The final match is set.  The American Championship game will be between UConn and The Bulls of USF, again.

    # 1 Connecticut Huskies 78 # 4 UCF Knights 56

    It took awhile for UConn to get going, but they did over the second and into the third quarter for consecutive victory number 105.  The Huskies had a 37 – 25 lead at the break, then won the third quarter by a 24 – 12 margin to take control.

    “”Nothing was easy, everything was a struggle,” said UConn Coach Geno Auriemma.  “The way we responded in the third quarter was a lot if fun for me.  Our players generally respond to challenges, and they did a great job of that.”

    The key to quarter was that UConn got some turnovers and easy baskets.  UCF was playing physical and did a good job of protecting the ball.  When 3 turnovers turn into 11, that’s a problem.  And Connecticut seemed to be rushing and shot the ball at a 38.7% clip in the first half.  In the third quarter the ball went in 62.5% of the time (5 – 8).

    “We try to crash the boards extra harder,” Huskies guard Napheesa Collier said about what the team tries to do when they are not shooting well.  “We try to get other things like transition, things like that.”

    Connecticut had four players score in double figures.  Collier and Gabby Williams had 16 points each.  Collier had a double-double pulling down 12 rebounds.  Williams was one rebound shy as she grabbed 9 boards.  Crystal Dangerfield scored 14 points.  Katie Lou Samuelson had 12 points along with 5 rebounds and 5 assists.

    Zykira Lewis scored a game-high 22 points.  Aliya Gregory had 13 points and 8 rebounds.

    “We wanted to play hard on every play, be in attack mode,” said Gregory.  “It really worked in the first half.”

    Connecticut is 31 – 0 on the season.  UCF finishes the season at 20 – 7, and there should be a post-season in their immediate future.

    # 3 USF Bulls 63 # 2 Temple Owls 58

    A 10 – 0 run early in the fourth quarter gave the USF Bulls the space they needed to hold off a rally by the Temple Owls to earn a berth in the American Championship final against Connecticut for the third straight year.

    “It was an important game for both teams for NCAA seedings,” said USF Coach Jose Fernandez.  “Our kids wanted this game, so this is the third year in a row that we are playing on Monday night.  When you play in this tournament, you want to play for a championship and have this opportunity.”

    Temple got to within 60 – 56 with a bit over 20 seconds to play on a three-pointer by Alliya Butts, who 17 in the game.  Her two free throws got it to a three-point deficit, but it was too little too late.  USF put the game away by making 10 of 14 free throws over the last three minutes.

    The Temple game plan was to contain the USF guards.  The offense for the Bulls ran through the inside play of Tamara Henshaw and Maria Jespersen who combined for 29 points in the game.  Jespersen added a team-high 13 rebounds.  Of the 15 points for Henshaw, 11 came in the first half.

    “Henshaw scored a lot in the first half, but that was taking away possessions for their guards,” said Temple Coach Tonya Cardoza.  “We did a good job of limiting their touches, so the option was to go inside.  They had to find another option, and that’s the one they went with.  She did a really good job.”

    Kitija Laksa led the Bulls with 18 points.

    For the Owls Feyonda Fitzgerald contributed 18 points and added 6 assists.  Tanaya Atkinson recorded her 10th double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

    USF goes to the final.  Could this be their year?

    “It’s Connecticut,” said Laksa.  “You can prepare, but they always will surprise.  We can make it a tough battle. It’s the third game of the year playing them.  The third time is the lucky one?”