#25/21 Women's Basketball Falls Short in American Semifinals

Sunday, March 5

Uncasville, Conn. - Mohegan Sun Arena

7:30 p.m.

Temple University

24-7

USF

24-7

USF

Temple

Photo by: Ben Solomon/American Athletic Conference

#25/21 Women's Basketball Falls Short in American Semifinals

3.5.17 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Press Conference

UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- The #25/21 Temple women's basketball team fell short to third-seeded USF, 63-58, in the Frontier Communications American Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals on Sunday night. The loss dips Temple to 24-7 overall, while the Bulls improve to 24-7.

Temple carried a lead through much of the first half, before a late second quarter run gave USF a lead they kept. The Owls turned an 11-point deficit into a one-possession game late in the fourth quarter, but time ran out for Temple.

Senior Feyonda Fitzgerald finished with 18 points and five assists, while junior Alliya Butts added 17 points. Junior Tanaya Atkinson tallied her ninth double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while senior Safiya Martin had six points and eight rebounds.

Though USF struck first, Temple had control of the game through much of the first quarter. Atkinson and Fitzgerald each had six points, while Butts hit a big three in transition, putting the Owls on top, 17-8. USF rallied in the closing minute, scoring six unanswered, closing the gap to 17-14 after one.

Though Temple pushed the lead to 19-14 with a Butts bucket to open the second quarter, USF used a 6-0 run to take a 20-19 lead. From there, the teams traded buckets, with Martin putting Temple back up, 23-22. Again, the Bulls surged, as Jespersen scored seven unanswered points, as part of a 9-2 run, putting the Bulls up 31-25. Temple was able to cut the gap to 31-30, before a Tamara Henshaw bucket at the end of the half put USF up 33-30.

Atkinson had 11 points and eight rebounds in the first half, while Fitzgerald and Martin each added six points and Butts, five. Henshaw led all scorers with 15 points in the first frame, while Maria Jespersen had 10. USF out-shot Temple 46% to 43% in the first half, while rebounds were equal at 17 each.

A low scoring third quarter saw USF push their lead to seven before Fitzgerald struck for four-straight points to cut the gap to 42-39 heading into the final frame.

A pair of Butts free throws got Temple to within one (42-41) before a 12-2 USF run made it 54-43 with 3:02 to play. The Owls mounted a furious comeback, using a 13-7 run over the next 2:21 to make it a one possession game (61-58) with just eight seconds on the clock. The rally fell short, however, as Temple was forced to foul and USF made a pair of free throws in the final seconds to seal the 63-58 victory.

Laksa finished with 18 points for USF, while Henshaw had 15 and Jespersen tallied a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Box Score (PDF) | Postgame Press Conference