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USF Women Get 1st Big East Win

A Tribune staff, wire report

Published: January 20, 2008

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The University of South Florida women defeated Seton Hall 75-67 on Saturday for its first Big East Conference win of the season.

The loss was the first of the year at home for the Pirates and only their second in their last 10 games.

The Bulls (11-7, 1-4 Big East) played without three players due to injury, including leading rebounder Brittany Denson and key reserve Gianna Messina, and were in the midst of a five-game losing streak.

To make things a little more interesting, on the way to the game the Bulls were taken to the Prudential Center in downtown Newark instead of the actual game site - Walsh Gymnasium on Seton Hall's campus in South Orange.

In addition, starting point guard Shantia Grace was still hobbled by an injured right ankle that she sprained against Providence on Tuesday.

"I thought that this was a very good win," USF coach Jose Fernandez said. "I told the kids that this is a win that they can take back and put in the back of their minds, because a game like this can help them.

"Life is more important than winning and losing basketball games."

Grace seemed to have recovered from her injury. She scored a game-high 27 points in 40 minutes.

"She was heavily taped; she flat-out had a phenomenal, gutsy performance," Fernandez said.

Jazmine Sepulveda added 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Jessica Lawson chipped in 12 points.

Seton Hall jumped to a 10-0 lead before Melissa Dalembert got the Bulls on the board with a turnaround jumper with 16:48 left in the first half.

The Pirates (12-4, 2-2) extended their lead to 29-12 with 7:52 left in the half.

But the Bulls used a 15-3 run in the last 4:34 of the half to take a 38-35 lead into the locker room.

After numerous lead changes in the second half, USF took the lead for good at 55-54 when Grace connected on a 10-footer with 12 minutes left. She hit a 3-pointer on the next possession.

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