By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Friday, March 4, 2011
Despite losing leading scorer Andrea Smith to a knee injury in the opening minute, the USF Bulls' women's basketball team nearly upset Pittsburgh in the opening round of the Big East tournament, instead taking a season-ending 63-60 loss in Hartford.
Down 15 in the second half, USF rallied to take the lead with 49 seconds left on a free throw by Leondra Doomes-Stephens. Pittsburgh took the lead back on a 3-point play by Chelsea Cole with 28 seconds left. USF (12-19) had a chance to tie the game late, but Doomes-Stephens and Andrell Smith both missed 3-pointers in the final five seconds.
Smith, a second-team All-Big East selection, injured her knee 58 seconds into the game and did not return. The severity of the injury was not known, and a magnetic resonance imaging test was scheduled for Friday afternoon.
KaNeisha Saunders, playing after missing much of the Big East season with a groin injury, matched Andrell Smith with 17 points for the team high.