Box Score
TAMPA, Fla. – North Florida women's basketball dropped a 78-42 decision to South Florida in its first road game of the season on Tuesday night at the Sun Dome.
USF, who is receiving votes in both national polls, opens its season with a win, while UNF evens its record to 1-1.
TOP PERFORMERS
Tesh Hanson – 18 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks
Claire Ioannidis – 10 points
Jaiveonna Norris – 8 rebounds, 1 block
Simone Brown – 6 points, 6 rebounds
QUICK HITS
- The Bulls scored 17 points from the line compared to just two from UNF.
- Hanson matches her first game performance against FAMU with 18 points.
- The 28 percent from the floor matches last season's outing at Alabama.
- USF shot 36 percent from the floor and 37 percent from long range, while UNF went just 4-for-20 for a 20 percent clip from behind the arc.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Ospreys came out sluggish in the opening 10 minutes as they shot just 21 percent from the floor and hit one long ball. USF jumped on a 15-5 run to start the game aided by three triples including two from Kitija Laksa. The Bulls eventually lead 22-9 after the first.
In the second frame, it took more than two minutes for either team to find the basket. The home team scored back-to-back baskets to 25-9 before
Sierra Shepherd scored the first points for the Ospreys followed by a jumper from
Maiya Rumph. It was a tight match down the stretch to head into halftime as USF held a 36-18 lead.
The Ospreys came out of the break fired up with a 6-0 run to start thanks to back-to-back three-pointers. After a Laksa basket at 8:50, UNF held the hosts to just six free throws for more than four minutes. Despite the stoppage, the Bulls continued to lead 44-30 at the media timeout. The break gave USF a jump as they went on a 12-4 run to end the third to lead 57-34.
It was a slow final quarter as the visitors scored just three baskets, while USF was 5-for-14 from the floor. Brown scored all six of her points in the final quarters of the game, while grabbing four of her six boards.
FOR THE OPPONENTS
Laksa – 18 points
Maria Jespersen – 16 points, 8-8 FT, 8 rebounds
Katelyn Weber – 11 rebounds, 6 pts
Tamara Hensaw – 11 points, 5-5 FG, 8 rebounds
Laia Flores – 8 assists, 8 points, 5 rebounds
LOOKING FORWARD
The Ospreys return to play two home games in three days. North Florida hosts Webber International on Friday at 11 a.m. for the annual Elementary School game, while FAU comes to town on Sunday for a 1 p.m. tip.
