Champ Central
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Box Score
Notes
USF Quotes
Tulane Quotes
Highlights
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USF Press Conference
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – No. 2 seed USF held off No. 6 seed Tulane for a 78-69 victory in semifinal action of the 2015 American Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Championship at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Junior Alisia Jenkins led the way for the Bulls with 22 points and 15 rebounds while junior Courtney Williams added 21 points as USF improved to 26-6 with its six win in its last seven games.
Senior Danielle Blagg had a team-high 19 points for the Green Wave, which dropped to 22-10. Sophomore Courtnie Latham chipped in 15 for Tulane.
USF led by as much as 11 midway through the second half before Tulane stormed back with another upset bid. Five straight points from Latham brought the Green Wave to within six at 57-51 with 9:12 to go before a pair of Blagg jumpers and two free throws from freshman Kolby Morgan knotted the game at 61 with 5:07 to play.
The Bulls would counter with a 10-0 run to open up a 73-63 advantage with a minute remaining. After a Latham trifecta brought the Green Wave to within seven, the teams traded free throws down the stretch to reach the final nine-point margin.
Jenkins’ double-double was her 23
rd of the season. The junior from Statesboro, Georgia, is rapidly approaching the 1,000-point and 1,000-rebound marks, as she stands at 961 points and 946 rebounds entering Monday. Her final rebound of the night gave her 378 on the year, breaking a USF single season record.
Both teams received quality contributions off the bench, as Blagg was nearly 10 points over her 9.8 points per game season average, while USF received 11 points from junior Shalethia Stringfield and 10 from senior Tamara Taylor.
USF advances to face No. 1 seed UConn in the final game of the 2015 American Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Championship Monday at 7 p.m. on ESPN.