TAMPA – L'or Mputu poured in 16 points and Romi Levy added 14 for South Florida as the Bulls cruised to an 87-44 victory over Bethune-Cookman in women's basketball action Monday evening at the Yuengling Center in the season opener for both teams.
 
South Florida (1-0) held a 47-18 lead at the half, as the Bulls shot 61.3 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes, adding a 50 percent touch from long range. On the night, the Bulls connected on nine (9) three-pointers while Bethune-Cookman was limited to just 15 field goals overall.
 
A Kayla Clark layup to begin the second quarter pulled Bethune-Cookman (0-1) to within 25-9. After junior guard Kayla White's jumper with 7:54 remaining in the half, USF's Janette Aarnio converted a layup stemming from a B-CU turnover to begin a 6-0 Bulls run.
 
Back-to-back baskets from Chanelle McDonald – coupled with a pair of Jordan Brooks free throws, saw the visitors with a 6-0 run of their own to get back to within a 35-18 deficit with 3:42 showing on the clock in the second quarter. However, a step-back three-pointer from Amy Thompson, one of five (5) three-pointers in the half for the Bulls, ended the run, allowing USF a 20-point lead for the second time in the game, this time at 38-18.
 
The Bulls would end the half on a 12-0 run with Thompson adding another three-pointer.
 
In the third quarter, South Florida extended its lead at 64-26 while shooting 7 of 18 from the floor in the period.
 
Romi Levy was 3-for-4 from the field in the quarter for the Bulls, including a buzzer-beater off the inbound pass of Thompson to close the period. For Bethune-Cookman, the Wildcats were limited to just one (1) field goal in the period but managed to convert 6 of 8 from the free throw line. White was 3 of 4 from the charity stripe, and teammate Karianna Woods was 2-for-2.
 
The fourth quarter saw the Wildcats register a 7-for-19 shooting touch from the field and 3 of 7 from the foul line.
 
Clark hit on a pair of baskets in the paint while the B-CU bench scored 12 points in the quarter. Freshman Alyssa Green had four points in the quarter, and it was Asianae Nicholson and Johnson each adding field goals including Johnson's three-pointer to open the period.
 
South Florida led 25-7 at the close of the first quarter.
 
The Bull connected on 3-of-4 from three-point range to open the game, as Sammie Puisis hit back-to-back threes to open a 19-4 lead. Raina Tomasicka connected on a turnaround jumper with 2:13 remaining in the period, followed by Ines Piper's layup stemming from a B-CU turnover. That capped a 12-0 run by the Bulls as the hosts went ahead 23-4.
 
USF was led by Mputu's 16 points on a 7 of 9 shooting touch from the field and added seven rebounds. Levy was 5 of 9 from the floor for 14 points and eight rebounds, and Sammie Puisis had 13 points with three (3) three-pointers. Tomasicka finished with 11 points. Mama Dembele contributed eight assists.
 
Bethune-Cookman used Chanelle McDonald's 10 points to lead the scoring as she finished the evening with a perfect 4-for-4 showing from the floor. Nicholson led the Cats in rebounding with five boards. And it was Jordan Brooks finishing the game with a pair of assists and two steals.
 
Bethune-Cookman takes the court again Saturday, Nov. 9, when the Cats welcome Fort Lauderdale to Richard V. Moore Gymnasium for its home opener at 2 p.m.
 
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