GoUSFBulls.com No. 20 USF Looks for Sweep at Memphis

[Brad]

USF ATHLETICS GoUSFBulls.com

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: February 4, 2017

 

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No. 20 USF Looks for Sweep at Memphis

 

TAMPA, FEB. 4, 2017 –The University of South Florida women’s basketball team will face Memphis for the second time this season in the first of a two-game road swing Sunday. The Bulls will face the Tigers at 6:30 ET at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. 

 

The Feb. 5 game will air opposite the Super Bowl on ESPNU, with Tiffany Greene (play-by-play) and Mike Thibault (analyst) on the call. USF IMG Sports Network radio broadcast can be heard on AM 1470, featuring Mike Lefko. 

 

USF (18-3, 7-1 The American) opened the month of February with a 20-point victory over Cincinnati. JuniorMaria Jespersen (Arhus, Denmark) posted her eighth double-double Wednesday. Jespersen poured in 26 points, matching her career high for the third time this season. The Denmark native shot 50 percent from the floor (11-of-22) and drained 3-of-7 three-point attempts. The forward grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds, including four off the offensive glass.

 

Junior point guard Laia Flores (Mataro, Spain) has proven to be one of the best juniors in her position, tallying 138 assists this season. Her 6.6 assists per game ranks 14^th in NCAA Division I, but more impressively, her assist-turnover ratio of 3.89 ranks 2^nd in the country. Flores’ 138 assists fall seventh in the USF Single Season Record Books and she only needs 18 more to crack the top-5. The junior has already amassed 240 career assists which is 15^th in USF history. 

 

The Opponent 

USF and Memphis will meet for the second time this season and the 24^th time in program history. The Tigers hold a 13-10 series advantage but the Bulls have won eight of the last nine meetings. Memphis is 8-2 on their home court. Head coach Jose Fernandez notched his 300^th career win against the Tigers earlier this year in a 79-49 victory in the Sun Dome Arena.

 

Memphis (10-12, 3-6 The American) boasts an 8-4 record at home this season, and hasn’t dropped a contest in the Roane Fieldhouse since Jan. 14. The Tigers are looking to bounce back after a 53-44 setback at SMU. Memphis is led by Cheyenne Creighton and Brea Elmore, the pair combine for 27 points for game. Creighton averages a team best 14 points and seven rebounds per game.

 

Notables

• The Bulls are two wins away from their fifth consecutive 20-win season, the ninth in program history. Head coach Jose Fernandez has been at the helm for all eight 20-win seasons, but USF is two victories away from reaching the mark faster than any other team in program history. The 2014-15 team reached 20 wins in 24 games, and still currently holds the best record for most wins in a season (27).
• The Bulls are currently ranked No. 20 in the AP Poll, their highest ranking in the AP this season. In similar fashion, USF faced Memphis ranked No. 15 last season, and the Tigers pulled-off an overtime victory in the Roane Fieldhouse. 
• USF’s +10.8 rebounding margin is tops in The American while their 73.0 points and +14.8 scoring margin is second in the league.
• The Bulls have totaled 11 wins by 16 or more points, including four against conference opponents.
• Head coach Jose Fernandez reached 300 career wins Jan. 17. Only three active coaches in the American Athletic Conference have achieved the feat.
• The Bulls have only committed 229 fouls this season (12.1 per game), which ranks third as the fewest fouls committed this season.
• USF is the only team in NCAA Division I with nine international players on its roster.

 

[206BULL]

I am sure most are watching the Super Bowl but after a very slow start the ladies are down 4 at the half. 

[George_Bullnard_Shaw]

The game has been as ugly as the streaming performance on my laptop.

[DELdaBull]

Gotta clean it up.

[George_Bullnard_Shaw]

Got up by 1, then let them get up by 6. This is feeling like a loss. Still in range but their aggressive defense is causing us problems and we can't put any runs together.

[206BULL]

Ladies looking out of it. Down 8 heading to the 4th. 

[George_Bullnard_Shaw]

3 minutes ago, 206BULL said:

Ladies looking out of it. Down 8 heading to the 4th. 

Ya. I don't see them making up 8 in a quarter the way it's going. Too bad, gonna be a tough loss to take. Rankings won't be kind.

[snarling Bull]

they are playing so bad!

[206BULL]

 Not sure we deserve to be in the top 25 tomorrow after that game...

[bullsfangw]

Everyone has an off night and this one was.