TAMPA, Fla. –
Sharon Smith poured in 19 points and made five triples in her first start of the season but the New Orleans Privateers were defeated 90-58 by the South Florida Bulls on Sunday at the Yuengling Center.
The Privateers got on the board first when Smith got a steal and a fast break layup to begin the game. Smith, who started her first game of the season, had eight first half points to lead the Privateer offense.
However, the Bulls quickly wrestled the lead back in the first quarter and never relinquished it thanks to 18 first half free throws and a 14-4 advantage in points at the line as the Privateers had five players with two fouls in the first half.
South Florida grew the lead to 18 points in the first half, but a pair of Smith three-pointers to close the first half helped narrow the gap to 13. The Privateers went to the locker room trailing 38-25.
The third quarter saw the Bulls pull away as they opened the stanza on a 12-2 run. South Florida outscored the Privateers 25-8 as New Orleans went 4-of-14 from the field while the home team hit 10-of-19 field goal attempts.
Raina Tomasicka led the Bulls on the day with 21 points. Katie Davidson added 15 points for a Bulls squad that shot 50.8 percent from the field. Fatou Diakite added nine points and a team-high 11 rebounds.
INSIDE THE BOX
Aaliyah Ellis and
Lauren Banks also got into double figures with 11 points each for the Privateers. Banks finished with five boards and Ellis added four.
Jayla Kimbrough finished with seven points.
Chenai Mushore had six points, two rebounds and a block.
NEXT UP
The Privateers return home on Sunday, Dec. 7 to face LSU.
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