UNCASVILLE, Conn. – No. 2 seed USF won its fifth-straight American Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Quarterfinal game and will look to make its fourth-consecutive championship appearance after knocking off No. 7 seed ECU, 80-44. It will be a battle of the Sunshine State as USF prepares to face No. 3 seed UCF in the Semifinals on Monday, March 4 at 4:30 p.m. ET. The Bulls took down the Knights twice this year to capture the War On I-4 series title.


 
The Bulls captured their second win of the season against ECU, shooting 53 percent from the field, while holding the Pirates to shooting 31 percent. The American All-Conference duo of Maria Jespersen (23 points) and Kitija Laksa (21 points) combined for 44 points in the win. Eight different Pirates notched at least one basket.
 
USF used a 9-0 run to jump out to a 17-11 lead in the first quarter behind a 10-point performance from Laksa. Raven Johnson hit a buzzer-beater jumper for ECU to make it a 17-11 game at the end of one. The Bulls shot 50 percent from the field in the second quarter, as Laksa (13) and Jespersen (12) paced the offense to a 34-22 halftime lead. The Bulls led 24-12 in first half rebounds.
 
USF kept the pressure high through the third quarter, using a 19-6 offensive surge through the final six minutes to pull away with a 60-33 lead. USF was 58.8 percent in third quarter field goals, while Jespersen held a game-high 21 points to enter the final quarter. The Bulls led by at least 25 points throughout the fourth quarter to secure their fifth straight American Athletic Conference Semifinals berth.