FORT WORTH, Texas – No. 2 South Florida defeated Houston, 58-50, to advance to the final of the 2022 Air Force Reserve American Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Championship Wednesday, March 9 at Dickies Arena.
 
With the win, the Bulls (24-7) will face No. 1 UCF in the championship game on Thursday, March 10 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on ESPNU. It will be South Florida’s sixth appearance in the final. The Bulls’ won their only American Athletic Conference Championship crown in 2021.
 
The Cougars (16-15) shot better from the field, 36.0 percent to 30.4 percent, but the Bulls held a 44-29 advantage on the boards and had 13 second-chance points to zero for Houston.
 
With a one-point game in second quarter, South Florida went on an 11-2 run to take a 30-20 lead. The Cougars would not get closer than an 8-point deficit.
 
Elisa Pinzan led South Florida with 14 points, while Bethy Mununga tied the Championship single-game record with 18 rebounds.
 
Houston’s Laila Blair scored a game-high 25 points and Britney Onyeje tied the single-game record with six steals.
 
South Florida improved to 2-0 against Houston all-time in the Championship, winning the other meeting, 72-55, in the 2019 quarterfinals.