Tuesday, February 22
| South Florida (RV) 61, Wichita State 57 |
Box Score |
South Florida (RV) 61, Wichita State 57
Elisa Pinzan scored 22 points, including 18 in the second half, and Elena Tsineke added 10 points as the University of South Florida women's basketball team closed out its three-game homestand with a 61-57 win over Wichita State on Tuesday night in the Yuengling Center. The Bulls improve to 19-7 overall and 9-3 in the American Athletic Conference while the Shockers fall to 13-13 overall and 4-9 in league play.
Tuesday was the first of two games in three days that South Florida will play against Wichita State. The two programs will meet up again in Wichita on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+).
On a day that was known as "Twosday" – 02-22-2022 – it was fitting that Pinzan dropped 22 points, with her final field goal being the most memorable of all. With the Bulls leading by two, 56-54, Pinzan drained a 35-foot step-back three-point shot as the shot clock expired, and with 11.7 seconds left in the contest, to secure the win for South Florida. It was her first 20-point performance since pouring in a career-high 26 points in the Bulls' 71-62 win over No. 9 Oregon on Nov. 22.
After leading at the break, 30-22, and then by as many as 11 points at the beginning of the third quarter, the Bulls gave the Shockers life as Wichita State outscored the Green and Gold 18-12 in the third quarter to enter the final stanza, trailing by just two points, 42-40. South Florida, however, continued to warm up offensively as it shot 50 percent (6-for-12) from the field in the fourth quarter, which included 3-for-5 (60 percent) from beyond the three-point arc.
The Bulls trailed by two, 54-52, with just over three minutes left in the contest before Pinzan put South Florida back on top for good with a trey with 1:43 left to make the score, 55-54, and then hit one of two from the free-throw line with under a minute left before her final three gave South Florida control.
Sydni Harvey scored nine points and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu chipped in with eight points. Bethy Mununga grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds on the night.