Dec. 16, 2009

NEW ORLEANS - The Tulane University women's basketball team will face a familiar foe and former conference mate on Thursday, Dec. 17, when the Green Wave travel to Tampa, Fla., to take on South Florida at 6 p.m. (CST) in the Sun Dome.

Thursday's game against the Bulls is Tulane's first contest since a 73-58 win over Longwood in the Big Easy Challenge on Dec. 5 as the team broke to focus on the fall semester final exams. South Florida and Tulane were both members of the old Metro Conference and competed in Conference USA together from 1995-2005. While the Green Wave remain members of C-USA, the Bulls left the league for the Big East for the 2005-06 academic year.

Tulane heads to Tampa, 5-2 on the year and on a three-game winning streak after defeating South Alabama, Prairie View A&M and Longwood over the last three ballgames. As a team, the Green Wave are averaging 67.7 points, 33.4 rebounds, 17.9 assists, 12.4 steals and 3.7 blocks per game.

Senior guard Chassity Brown leads the team in scoring with a 12.1 point-per-game average while sophomore post player Brett Benzio and junior forward Brittany Lindsey and follow with respective averages of 11.7 and 11.5. Benzio leads the team in rebounds, averaging 8.9 per game, while Brown paces the club with 4.0 assists a night and junior guard Roshaunda Barnes headlines the Wave with 3.6 steals per ballgame.

Tulane is hitting 45.5 percent of its shots from the field, connecting on 177-of-389 attempts, including 37-of-96 from beyond the 3-point arc (.385). The Green Wave defense has held opponents to a 38.8 shooting percentage (147-of-379) and a 31.3 clip from 3-point land (25-of-80). Tulane opponents are averaging 60.4 points, 37.3 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 8.4 steals and 2.1 blocks per game.

South Florida, meanwhile, enters Thursday's contest 7-2 on the year and riding the high of a six-game winning streak, including a 76-64 win over Jacksonville on Sunday at the Sun Dome.

As a team, the Bulls are averaging 68.7 points, 45.2 rebounds, 12.8 assists, 9.7 steals and 3.4 blocks per game. Jessica Lawson leads South Florida in both points and rebounds with averages of 16.6 and 12.8, respectively. Jasmine Wynne paces the Bulls with 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals per contest.

South Florida is hitting 39.8 percent of its shots from the field, connecting on 223-of-560 attempts, including a 41-of-146 showing from beyond the 3-point line (.281). The Bulls' defense has allowed opponents to post a 34.6 shooting percentage (182-of-526) and a 28.6 clip from 3-point land (40-of-140). South Florida opponents are averaging 62.1 points, 39.8 rebounds, 11.1 assists, 9.9 steals and 3.3 blocks per game.

Thursday's game at South Florida marks the 28th time that the Green Wave and the Bulls will meet on the hardwood and Tulane owns an 18-9 advantage in the all-time series. In addition, the game will be the 13th meeting in Tampa, where Tulane is 7-5.

The Bulls have won the last three meetings between the two teams, including an 80-66 decision last Dec. 30 in Fogelman Arena. Tulane's last win over South Florida came on Jan. 14, 2003, when the Green Wave earned an 87-55 win at the Sun Dome.

After the game against the Bulls, the Green Wave return to action on Sunday, Dec. 20, when the Green Wave play host to Stephen F. Austin at 2 p.m. in Fogelman Arena. For ticket information, contact the Tulane Athletics Ticket Office at (504) 861-WAVE.

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