Pinzan's career high leads No. 23 USF to upset win over No. 9 Oregon
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Elisa Pinzan had a career-high 26 points to go with 10 assists while No. 23 South Florida scored 28 points off turnovers to beat No. 9 Oregon 71-62 in Monday's third-place game at the inaugural women's Battle 4 Atlantis.
Sydni Harvey added 22 points for the Bulls (4-2), who repeatedly got their hands in passing lanes for deflections that kept interrupting the Ducks' attempts to establish any kind of rhythm. South Florida was quick to capitalize, too, including a run of three straight scores after turnovers during a 10-0 fourth-quarter run that stretched the lead to 17.
From there, South Florida had to hold off a late burst by Oregon that helped the Ducks (3-2) get as close as 59-55 on Sedona Prince's three-point play with 47.1 seconds left. But South Florida went 12 for 12 at the line from there to clinch it, with Harvey hitting the first four and then Pinzan making the final eight.
Sydney Parrish scored 15 points to lead Oregon, which committed a season-high 25 turnovers in a mistake-filled performance that helped South Florida get 16 more shots for the game.
Pinzan also came up with key shots, including a long banked-in 3-pointer from near the USF bench to beat the horn ending the third quarter.
She scored eight points in the 10-0 run, starting when she brought the ball up after yet another Oregon turnover and pulled up for a straightaway 3 with no defender anywhere near her. She followed with another 3, arms raised in jubilation, moments later then scored on a runout to make it 58-41 with 5:10 left.
When this was over, she led the screaming celebration with a sprint to the bench where the Bulls danced around after beating a ranked foe.
BIG PICTURE
USF: The Bulls had no trouble in their Atlantis opener against Syracuse (77-53), then pushed No. 2 UConn before falling 60-53 — the closest margin for the Bulls in 33 meetings with the Huskies. But South Florida responded by beating a ranked team for just the second time in the past 11 chances.
Oregon: The Ducks were shorthanded for their entire three-game stay in Atlantis. They didn't have guards Te-Hina Paopao, Taylor Bigby or Endyia Rogers at all. Then post player Nyara Sabally, who had 30 points in the first-round shootout win against Oklahoma, didn't play in Sunday's semifinal loss to No. 1 South Carolina or in this one due to a knee issue. The Ducks had 20 turnovers against the Gamecocks then were worse with the ball against the Bulls, including point guard Maddie Scherr having seven turnovers.
UP NEXT
USF: The Bulls are sticking around the Bahamas, venturing to the nearby Baha Mar resort in Nassau to face No. 7 Stanford on Friday.
Oregon: The Ducks will get some time off before hosting UC Davis on Dec. 1.
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