/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/7SV6EA2SWRCJZGG3GCK4IFSKPI.jpg "USF's Elene Tsineke drives against West Virginia at the West Palm Beach Invitational on Monday.")
Tsineke, No. 18 South Florida women beat West Virginia 77-55
WEST PALM BEACH — Elena Tsineke scored 20 points, Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu had 14 points and 12 rebounds, and No. 18 USF beat West Virginia 77-55 on Monday in the West Palm Beach Invitational.
USF snapped a seven-game losing streak in the series, getting its second victory over West Virginia in nine meetings. The Bulls took the first meeting, 66-56, on Feb. 25, 2006.
Maria Alvarez also scored 14 points and Bethy Mununga had 10 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for USF (9-3), which has won four straight and six of seven. Mununga leads the American Conference, and is ninth in the nation, averaging 11.9 rebounds per game.
The Bulls shot 58.3 percent from the field, going 8 of 13 from distance, and outrebounded West Virginia 31-17. USF didn’t shoot lower than 50 percent in any of the four quarters and hit at a 63.6-percent clip in the fourth quarter as the Bulls extended their lead to 74-45 with just over four minutes remaining on a Fankam Mendjiadeu layup.
Madisen Smith led West Virginia (6-3) with 15 points. Kirsten Deans added 13 points with five assists.
Both teams continue tournament play on Tuesday with USF facing Mississippi and West Virginia going against Michigan State.
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