TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Elena Tsineke scored 22 points, Bethy Mununga had 21 points and 12 rebounds and No. 22 South Florida led from the outset in beating Jacksonville 70-57 on Wednesday.
Tsineke scored 16 first-half points when the Bulls (10-4) built a double-digit first-half lead that it maintained except when the Dolphins got within nine late in the fourth quarter. She finished 8-of-14 shooting, making three 3-pointers. Mununga posted her fourth double-double this season. Maria Alvarez scored 12 points, all off 3-pointers. Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu grabbed 11 rebounds to go with eight points.
Taylor Hawks scored 17 points and Asiah Jones 10 to lead the Dolphins (7-4), playing their first game since Dec. 13. Jacksonville outshot USF overall but the Bulls were 9-of-21 from the arc to the Dolphins’ 2-of-12 and won the boards 40-26.
The teams combined to make 22 of 23 free throws with USF making all 13, including eight by Mununga.
USF carried a double-digit lead into the second half and built it to 16 on a Alvarez 3-pointer before Jacksonville cut it to 13 entering the final period.
The Dolphins were within three points when the Bulls went on a 12-4 run to end the first half and lead 44-33.
USF scored the game’s first seven points and had a nine-point lead with two minutes left in the first quarter. The Dolphins closed within three before Tsineke hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to finish the period with 10 points.
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