South Florida defeated Marquette 67-65 in the first round of the Women’s NCAA Tournament after a closely fought overtime battle. Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu scored 22 points, and Elena Tsineke’s jumper in the final seconds of overtime secured the win. Although Marquette dominated most of the game, South Florida showed resilience and came back from a double-digit deficit. South Florida will next face top-seeded South Carolina, who are the reigning champions and undefeated this season. Fankam Mendjiadeu contributed 16 rebounds, adding to her impressive 24th double-double of the season and 56th of her career. Tsineke scored 13 points, with 11 of those points coming in the second half and overtime. Marquette’s Chloe Marotta scored a team-high 25 points, but her foul-out with 2:56 remaining in overtime dashed the Golden Eagles’ hopes of a comeback. Marquette has a young team with potential, including players such as Mackenzie Hare and freshman Emily La Chapell. South Florida, meanwhile, has a formidable duo in Fankam Mendjiadeu and Tsineke and will aim to continue their impressive run against the country’s best teams.
South Florida emerged victorious in a tight overtime battle against Marquette, winning 67-65 in the first round of the Women’s NCAA Tournament. Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu led the Bulls with 22 points, while Elena Tsineke’s jumper in the final seconds of overtime secured the win. The Golden Eagles had a chance to steal the victory with a last-second three-pointer from Mackenzie Hare, but the ball bounced off the rim, denying them a comeback victory.
Although Marquette dominated for most of the game, South Florida showed remarkable resilience, coming back from a double-digit deficit to tie the score and send the game into overtime. The Bulls rallied several times, including after trailing 47-36 in regulation, tying their season record of 27 wins. However, South Florida faces a daunting challenge in their next game as they are set to play the No. 1 seed and reigning champions, South Carolina, who remain unbeaten and are favorites to advance.
Fankam Mendjiadeu contributed 16 rebounds, adding to her impressive 24th double-double of the season and 56th of her career. Tsineke scored 13 points, with 11 of those points coming in the second half and overtime. On the other hand, Chloe Marotta scored a team-high 25 points for Marquette, but it was not enough as she fouled out with 2:56 remaining in overtime, dashing the Golden Eagles’ hopes of a comeback.
Marquette has a young team with plenty of potential and has made two NCAA Tournament appearances in coach Megan Duffy’s four seasons. They will look to build on this experience and develop a solid foundation for the future with promising players such as Hare and freshman Emily La Chapell. South Florida, on the other hand, has a formidable duo in Fankam Mendjiadeu and Tsineke, and they will aim to continue their impressive run against the country’s best teams.
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