Women's Basketball Tripped Up at USF

Saturday, December 1

Tampa, Fla.

1 p.m.

University of North Florida

2-5

USF

6-0

North Florida

USF

12/1/2012 3:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: North Florida Athletics

Boxscore (PDF)

TAMPA, Fla. – Despite a strong defensive performance, University of North Florida women's basketball fell to USF 66-44 at the Sun Dome on Saturday.

“It was a missed opportunity,” said head coach Mary Tappmeyer. “We did really well in the first half, especially defensively. But we had some opportunities against their press with rebounding and the chance to score some easy transition baskets. We didn't care of those opportunities.”

Although baskets were tough to come by for both teams, the Ospreys held USF to its lowest shooting percentage and its second-lowest points total of the year. UNF shot 30.2 percent (16-for-53) for the game, while USF was at a season-low 32.1 percent (26-for-81). Additionally, the Bulls' 66 points is just the second time in six games they've been held to under 70 in a game.

The Ospreys won the battle of the board and held a 52-49 rebounding advantage. Of UNF's 52 boards, 41 were defensive.

“It's what we work on and focus on a lot,” said Tappmeyer. “You don't get the opportunity very often to hold a team that scores the ball pretty well.”

Fabiola Josil led UNF with a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double.

Courtney Williams and Andrell Smith each tallied 13 points. Williams and Alisia Jenkins each pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.

Both teams got off to a slow start. The game's first points didn't come until 16:07 when Akila McDonald made a lay-up for USF. The Bulls went on a 9-2 over the next four minutes in order to go up 11-2 at 11:51.

UNF picked away at USF's lead and eventually came to within five on back-to-back fast-break lay-ups from Jadhken Kerr and Josil to make it 13-8 at 7:32. A Kerr trey later in the half sparked a 7-0 run that evened the game at 18-18 at 1:33. Bre Crum's layup capped the run and was the game-tying bucket. However, USF broke the tie and used a Sasha Bernard layup and two Andrea Smith foul shots in order to take a 22-18 lead into halftime.

USF came out of the break with a 7-0 run and UNF found itself trailing by 11 early as the Bulls held a 29-18 lead at 18:11. The Ospreys used a 5-2 run in order to come to within eight. A layup from Crum at 15:08 made it 31-23 in favor of USF. However, behind an 11-0 run, the Bulls began to pull away from the Ospreys. After trailing by as many as 19, the closest UNF got to USF throughout the remainder of the game was 13 when Destinee Smith made a foul shot at 9:09 that made it 44-31.

After a nine-day hiatus due to exams, the Ospreys return to the hardwood on Monday, Dec. 10 at Savannah State. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.