TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Louisville got another stellar performance from Myisha Hines-Allen and some key play off the bench.
Hines-Allen scored 27 points and added 12 rebounds as No. 9 Louisville beat No. 23 South Florida 66-52 on Sunday.
Asia Durr had 13 points for Louisville (18-4). The Cardinals got limited playing time from starters Briahanna Jackson (23 minutes, five points) and Cortnee Walton (16 minutes, two points) due to foul troubles, while Mariya Moore was held to five points.
The Cardinals outscored USF 14-2 in bench points, with Ciera Johnson getting six, and Sam Fuehring and Kylee Shook chipping in four apiece.
“I thought our bench really came in and gave us a lift,” Louisville coach Jeff Walz said. “And we’re really going to need them as we continue on throughout the season because they just bring a different dimension to us. That’s one thing I like about my ball club is, that we’ve got a lot of different parts that we can throw out there depending on how we’re being guarded.”
South Florida (15-3) got 14 points from Laia Flores and Ariadna Pujol. Kitija Laksa, averaging 19.9 points, finished with five on 2 of 13 shooting.
“Our goal is to not let the other teams’ best players beat you,” Walz said.
South Florida coach Jose Fernandez felt his team let an opportunity for a great home win slip away.
“This is the type of game you need to win to get to the second weekend (of the NCAA tournament) in March and we’re not ready yet,” Fernandez said. “It’s my job and my staff’s job to get us ready, and we will.”
The Bulls were outrebounded 44-23.
“Right now that’s our M.O., South Florida doesn’t like contact, they’re soft and they’re finesse, and it showed today,” Fernandez said.
Louisville took a 54-37 advantage after three, a quarter where Hines-Allen picked up nine points.
Flores’ layup got South Florida within 56-46 with 5 minutes to play.
Hines-Allen had 14 points to help the Cardinals go up 38-25 at halftime. Moore made her lone basket of the first half with 3 minutes left in the second quarter to put Louisville up 34-20.
Moore is averaging 12.8 points.
Louisville scored the first nine points en route to a 17-13 lead after the opening period.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Louisville: The Cardinals should stay in the Top-10 after improving to 4-4 this season against Top-25 opponents. Louisville is also 3-0 in games with teams that received votes in the AP poll.
South Florida: The Bulls’ time in the Top-25 may be in jeopardy. South Florida has lost both its game against Top-10 teams this season, with the other being a 102-37 setback Jan. 10 at No. 1 Connecticut.
BIG PICTURE
Louisville: Hines-Allen moved into solo possession of sixth place in school history with her 21st career double-double. … Durr extended her streak of making a 3-pointer to 25 consecutive games on the game’s first shot. It is the longest active run by an ACC player.
South Florida: The Bulls had a 14-game home winning streak end. The run started following a Jan. 10, 2016 loss to UConn.
HONORING PAT
South Florida wore “We Back Pat” t-shirts during pregame warmups to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and honor coaching great Pat Summitt.
UP NEXT
Louisville: Plays the second of three consecutive road games Thursday night at Clemson.
South Florida: Starts a two-game road trip Wednesday night at SMU.
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