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5-Minute Lapse Sinks Bulls

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By BRETT McMURPHY, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 6, 2008

TAMPA - For the first 29 minutes - and the final six minutes - the University of South Florida women's basketball team played virtually even with No. 17 West Virginia.

But it wasn't enough to overcome a key five-minute stretch in the second half by WVU as the Mountaineers held on for a 79-73 victory Saturday night.

USF (10-4, 0-1 Big East) lost for the 22nd time in its past 26 games against ranked opponents before an announced crowd of 1,224 at the Sun Dome.

"There was that stretch in the game they totally killed us," USF coach Jose Fernandez said.

USF junior guard Shantia Grace played all 40 minutes, leading four Bulls in double figures with 25 points. She also had a game-high six assists.

"Our kids have to learn they can't decide when to play and when not to play," Fernandez said. "At times, that's what happened."

With 11:08 remaining, Chi Chi Okpaleke's basket inside pulled the Bulls within 54-53.

However, WVU went on a 15-2 run by scoring on six consecutive possessions for a 69-55 cushion with six minutes remaining.

"We didn't get back on defense," USF junior guard Jazmine Sepulveda said. "We paid for our mistakes. We just broke down. We couldn't come back together. When we did it was too late."

The Bulls, who never led after the opening two minutes, made one last run. USF rallied in the final minutes, eventually cutting a 12-point deficit with 3:42 remaining to 76-73 with 13.9 seconds remaining.

But WVU's Meg Bulger (16 points) sealed the win with a pair of free throws with 12 seconds remaining.

Okpaleke added 13 points and seven rebounds for the Bulls, while Daiane Packer had 12 points and Sepulveda had 10 points and five assists.

The Mountaineers (11-2, 1-0) took a 35-31 halftime lead by shooting nearly as well from 3-point range (7-for-14) as the Bulls did from the free-throw line (8-for-13).

USF finished 20 of 29 from the free-throw line.

"We left a lot of points on the free-throw line," Fernandez said. "We missed nine free throws and a lot were 1-and-1s. That hurts you."

Although it was only the Bulls' fourth loss this season, it was their first by fewer than 25 points.

"To compete for 40 minutes against the nation's No. 17 team lets us know we are a good team and we can win a lot of games," Grace said.

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928 or bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com

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