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USF Women’s Basketball Trounces Howard 82-53

On International Night, the Bulls mowed down the Bison to move to 3-0 on the season.

By Robert Steeg
Robert Steeg / The Daily Stampede

USF Women’s Basketball used a dominating defensive performance to defeat the Howard Bison 82-53 on Tuesday.

The No. 25 Bulls (3-0) forced 21 turnovers including 11 steals and five blocks, as well as 30 defensive rebounds to keep the game out of hand.

Fresh off of being named AAC Player of the Week, junior guard Enna Pehadzic picked up right where she left off, scoring 16 points and going 4-for-8 behind the arc to lead the Bulls in scoring. Junior forward Bethy Mununga recorded her second double-double of the season, scoring 14 points and collecting 11 rebounds to continue her dominance in the paint thus far.

The Bulls got out of the gate slow, with the game being knotted at five-all after the first five minutes of play. However, both teams found their groove towards the end of the first with the Bulls mounting a 20-14 lead over the Bison. USF carried this momentum into the second, where they outscored the visitors 23-8 including a 12-0 run to build a lead they wouldn’t surrender the rest of the game.

Freshmen newcomers Krystina Brabencova and Maria Alvarez both scored 11 points on the evening, with Brabencova getting into double-figures for the first time this season.

Despite the lopsided scoreline, the Bulls have plenty of work according to Head Coach Jose Fernandez, who noted that free throws were an issue tonight that “they take too many in practice and on their own...inexcusable”. USF went 17-for-27 from the charity stripe, good for 63%.

The Bulls will look to start the season 4-0 for the fourth straight year as they welcome VCU into Tampa on Friday at 11 a.m.

Notables:

  • Sophomore guard Sydni Harvey did not play once again as she continues to recover from offseason injury.
  • Tamara Henshaw and Shae Leverett combined for 12 points and eight rebounds.