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It was jam packed weekend for USF Athletics with men’s tennis, men’s and women’s basketball, and softball all in action. Let’s see how everyone did.
Men’s Basketball Knocks off Memphis on the Road
The Bulls (11-12, 4-6 AAC) went into Memphis and came away with a 75-73 victory over the Tigers (17-6, 6-4 AAC) on Saturday thanks to three incredible performances from guards David Collins, and Laquincy Rideau, and forward Justin Brown.
After picking up two early fouls and sitting out the final 12 minutes of the first half, Rideau knocked down four threes on his way to a game-high 21 points. With Rideau out, Collins picked up the slack with a 21-point effort of his own.
But the story was Justin Brown. Anything the Bulls needed, he did. He grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds, and added 14 points for good measure. Seven of those rebounds were on the offensive side of the glass that helped extra possessions for USF. The Bulls out-rebounded Memphis 41-29.
USF hosts Houston on Wednesday night at 9 p.m.
Women’s Basketball Crushes Temple
In possibly the best team performance in three years, the women’s basketball team annihilated the Owls 99-51 on Sunday afternoon led by career days from Sydni Harvey and Elena Tsineke who each scored 25 points.
Harvey could not miss from the floor, draining 7-of-8 three-point attempts to help the Bulls race out to a 58-16 halftime lead. USF’s defense allowed just four made field goals for Temple in the opening half, and held Owls to just 28% shooting for the entire game.
The Bulls (14-9, 6-3 AAC) on the other hand, shot 57% from the field, 52% from three, and 94% from the free throw line.
Forward Bethy Mununga had 13 points, and eight rebounds.
Enna Pehadzic made sure to fill the stat sheet in her 14 minutes: 2-of-8 FG, 0-for-6 3-PT, two rebounds, one assist, one turnover, and four fouls.
USF travels to New Orleans to face Tulane on Thursday at 8 p.m.
Men’s Tennis Still Confirming #CountryClubSchool
The Bulls (5-2) welcomed the Stetson Hatters to USF for the first home match of the season and promptly swept them 7-0. USF dropped just two sets the entire day. Chase Ferguson (6-2, 6-2) and Pierre Luquet (6-2, 6-4) made light work of their opponents in singles action.
The duo also helped secure the doubles point winning 6-4 over Sven Thiergard/Fabian Penzkofer.
Antonio Muniz-Hidalgo, Rithbik Bollipallo, Sergio Gomez Montesa. and Niels Van Noord also won for the Bulls.
USF travels to face SMU on February 21.
Softball Off to a Rocky Start in the Jessica Moore Era
The Bulls began the 2020 season with the USF-Rawlings Invitational against Illinois State, Fresno State, Michigan, and Florida and lost each game. Outside of the opener versus Illinois State where they gave up nine runs, the Bulls were able to keep things relatively close for most of the weekend.
The bats just didn’t show up as the Bulls hit just .189 for the weekend.
Ace Georgina Corrick was rocked on Thursday night against Illinois State, but settled down against Fresno State and Michigan to allow just one earned run over ten innings.
Florida had more success against her, striking for three runs which was more than enough for Natalie Lugo who had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning before Madison Epperson hit a solo home run to break it up and get the Bulls on the board for the first time.
With head coach Ken Eriksen away coaching Team USA this season, it’s going to be interesting to see how Moore navigates the early slate. It doesn’t get any easier next weekend as the Bulls travel to Clearwater for the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational that will feature Oklahoma State, Alabama, the middle school from Lubbock, Georgia, and UCLA.