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Bulls Lose 5th In A Row

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By GREGG BECNEL, Tribune correspondent

Published: January 16, 2008

TAMPA - The New Year certainly hasn't been kind to the University of South Florida women's basketball team.

Not only did the Bulls drop a lethargic 61-49 decision to Providence on Tuesday at the Sun Dome, they lost leading scorer Shantia Grace to a right ankle sprain in the first half. The severity of the injury wasn't immediately known.

USF was already without Caitlyn Mitryk (toe) and Ashley Sanders (knee), and Brittany Denson tweaked her knee in the first half, limiting her availability the rest of the way.

USF (10-7) has not won a game in 2008, as it extended its losing streak to five games. The Bulls' slide comes after they won eight in a row to close out December.

"I had a lot of high expectations for this team, but this is probably as disappointed as I've ever been here," USF coach Jose Fernandez said. "Our play is going to have to change or some people are going to have to find different places to play. Because at the end of the day, it's all about production.

"You're 17 games into the season. You're running out of time. You've got 12 games left. We're in jeopardy of not making the conference tournament. And that's a major, major disappointment.

"I'm disappointed for our fans. I'm disappointed for the university. I'm disappointed for the community for putting that kind of product on the floor."

Grace, the Big East's fifth-leading scorer with 17.9 points per game was injured at the 12:59 mark of the first half.

USF shot 28.8 percent from the floor, marking the third consecutive game - and sixth overall - the Bulls made less than 31 percent of their shots.

USF trailed 12-7 when Grace went out. But without Grace running the offense, the Bulls fell behind 39-22 late in the first half.

"I think everybody knows Tia is a big factor to this team. You can tell when she's on the floor, the team runs different," said Jessica Lawson, who scored a team-high 11 points. "We just need to grow up. We can't rely on Tia to bring that energy and motivate us."

The closest USF got in the second half was 56-47 with 2:21 remaining.

UConn Tops Syracuse To Stay Unbeaten

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Maya Moore scored all 13 of her points in the second half and grabbed 17 rebounds to help top-ranked Connecticut hold off Syracuse 65-59.

It was the 29th straight regular-season victory for Connecticut (16-0, 4-0 Big East), but it was a struggle to the end. Syracuse (14-3, 2-2) was within a basket with 74 seconds left before the Huskies sealed it.

Mel Thomas led UConn with 15 points and Renee Montgomery had 14.

RUTGERS 57, GEORGETOWN 47: Essence Carson scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds and No. 5 Rutgers held off host Georgetown.

Matee Ajavon and Myia McCurdy each added 11 points for Rutgers (14-2, 4-0 Big East).

The Scarlet Knights opened a double-digit lead in the first half, but couldn't put away the Hoyas (10-6, 0-3). Rutgers made just one field goal over the final 6 1/2 minutes.

DEPAUL 91, ST. JOHN'S 80: Allie Quigley had 24 points to lead No. 23 DePaul (13-3, 2-1 Big East) to an overtime win against St. John's (10-6, 1-2).

With DePaul down two with 3 seconds left in regulation, Quigley made two free throws to send the game into overtime. The Blue Demons outscored the Red Storm 14-3 in the extra session.

The Associated Press

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