TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — South Florida used a commanding interior performance to defeat Florida Atlantic 75-55 in a women’s NCAA basketball game Saturday at the Sun Dome. The Bulls established control early, leading 19-6 after the first quarter and outscoring the Owls 48-24 in the paint. L’or Mputu led South Florida with 17 points, while Stefanie Ingram added 15 points and nine assists. Vivian Onugha scored 12 points for Florida Atlantic, which shot just 32.2% from the field. South Florida improved to 17-11 overall. Florida Atlantic fell to 12-15. An announced crowd of 2,111 attended the American Athletic Conference matchup.

TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — The South Florida Bulls used a dominant performance in the paint and a balanced scoring attack to pull away from the Florida Atlantic Owls for a 75-55 victory in an American Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at the Sun Dome. A crowd of 2,111 watched the Bulls improve to 17-11 overall, while the Owls fell to 12-15. The win avenged a one-point loss for South Florida in Boca Raton just four weeks prior. The game was decided by South Florida’s overwhelming efficiency on both ends of the floor. The Bulls shot 53.6% from the field, converting 30 of 56 attempts, while holding Florida Atlantic to a frigid 32.2% shooting on 19 of 59. The disparity was most glaring inside, where South Florida outscored Florida Atlantic 48-24. South Florida set the tone early, opening the game on a 19-6 run in the first quarter. The Bulls’ interior presence, led by L’or Mputu of Kinshasa, Congo, proved too much for the Owls to handle. Mputu scored 17 points in just 19 minutes, consistently finishing at the rim. Her early activity helped South Florida establish a lead it would never relinquish. Florida Atlantic struggled to find any offensive rhythm in the first half, scoring only 19 points and trailing by 13 at the break. The Owls showed brief signs of life in the third quarter, outscoring the Bulls 21-23 in the period, but could never cut the deficit to single digits. Every mini-run by the visitors was met with an immediate response from the South Florida offense. Stefanie Ingram of Orlando orchestrated the Bulls’ attack masterfully, finishing with 15 points and a game-high nine assists. Her backcourt mate, Edyn Battle of Gahanna, Ohio, added 16 points. Carla Brito of Puerto del Rosario, Spain, contributed 10 points and six assists, while also anchoring a defensive effort that forced 13 Florida Atlantic turnovers. For the Owls, Vivian Onugha of Lagos, Nigeria, was a bright spot with 12 points. Jess Moors of Auckland, New Zealand, filled the stat sheet with seven points, six assists and a block. Madi Gewirtz of Gilbert, Arizona, added nine points off the bench. However, the team’s overall offensive struggles, including a 26.1% clip from three-point range and 57.9% from the free-throw line, prevented any sustained comeback attempt. The most important sequence of the game occurred late in the third quarter, just as Florida Atlantic was attempting to build momentum. After cutting the lead to 14, the Owls forced a turnover and had a chance to pull closer. Instead, a traveling violation gave the ball back to South Florida. On the ensuing possession, Ines Piper of Paris, France, converted a layup off a feed from Brito. Following an empty trip for Florida Atlantic, Stefanie Ingram hit a floating jumper to push the lead back to 18, effectively extinguishing the Owls’ last significant push. This quick five-point swing over 40 seconds typified the night, with South Florida consistently delivering a counterpunch to maintain full control. South Florida also won the possession battle, committing 15 turnovers to Florida Atlantic’s 13, and held a slight edge in offensive rebounds, 9-8. The Bulls’ offensive rating of 105.5 on 71 possessions starkly contrasted with the Owls’ rating of 76.4 on 72 trips, underscoring the efficiency gap that defined the contest. The victory gives South Florida momentum as it heads into the final stretch of conference play, while Florida Atlantic will look to regroup after a second consecutive road loss.

Preview: Florida Atlantic Owls at South Florida Bulls TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — A tightly contested American Athletic Conference women’s basketball series adds its latest chapter Saturday when the South Florida Bulls host the Florida Atlantic Owls at the Sun Dome. The matchup is a quick rematch of a Jan. 24 meeting in Boca Raton, where Florida Atlantic (12-14, 5-8 AAC) edged South Florida (16-11, 7-6) 64-63. That result will fuel the Bulls, who seek to defend their home court and improve their conference standing. South Florida, led by dynamic guard Edyn Battle, enters following a 79-72 road loss at Rice on Tuesday. Battle scored 20 points in that contest and has been a consistent offensive force, averaging 16.2 points over her last five games. In the first meeting against FAU, Battle was limited to 21 minutes and 10 points, a performance the Bulls will look to improve upon. The visiting Owls aim to snap a two-game skid, including a 74-61 loss at East Carolina on Tuesday. Florida Atlantic relies on the steady presence of guard Madi Gewirtz, who scored a team-high 12 points in that defeat. Gewirtz played a pivotal 34 minutes in the January win over South Florida, contributing 3 points, 2 rebounds and an assist. While South Florida holds the superior overall record, both teams have experienced recent inconsistency in league play. The Bulls have lost two of their last three, while the Owls have split their last six contests. The game will feature contrasting styles. South Florida boasts a more potent offense, averaging over 70 points per game, while Florida Atlantic will look to control tempo and replicate the defensive effort that secured their narrow January victory. Containing Battle will be paramount for the Owls, while the Bulls must solve an FAU defense that held them to 35% shooting in the prior matchup. Saturday’s result will carry weight for seeding in the upcoming AAC tournament. For South Florida, it’s a chance to solidify a top-half finish. For Florida Atlantic, it’s an opportunity to sweep the season series and build momentum for the final stretch. Tip-off is set for Saturday afternoon at the Sun Dome in Tampa.