TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — A dominant second-quarter surge propelled the South Florida Bulls to a decisive 70-53 victory over the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners in an American Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Tuesday night at the Sun Dome.

A crowd of 1,896 watched as the Bulls, leveraging a 30-point second period, improved to 11-7 overall. The Roadrunners, unable to sustain their early competitiveness, fell to 8-7.

The most critical phase of the contest unfolded in the second quarter, where South Florida transformed a narrow 19-13 lead into a commanding 49-24 halftime advantage. The Bulls’ offense, which had been methodical in the opening period, exploded with a 30-11 frame, overwhelming the Roadrunners with a blend of inside scoring and perimeter shooting. The run was fueled by a collective effort, with Jelena Bulajic hitting multiple three-pointers and the backcourt duo of Stefanie Ingram and Edyn Battle applying constant pressure.

Texas-San Antonio had started with purpose, opening the game with a 6-0 run and holding a brief lead. The Roadrunners’ early success was anchored by post play from Emilia Dannebauer and the scoring of Damara Allen. However, South Florida’s defensive adjustments and transition game quickly took hold. The Bulls forced a series of Roadrunners turnovers and converted them into easy baskets, stifling any offensive rhythm UTSA tried to establish.

Bulajic, a guard from Herceg Novi, Montenegro, led all scorers with 15 points, all from beyond the arc, to spearhead the Bulls’ offensive outburst. Ingram, from Orlando, added 14 points, three assists and two blocks, while Battle of Gahanna, Ohio, contributed 13 points and five assists. Their combined efforts in the backcourt controlled the tempo throughout the night.

For Texas-San Antonio, the scoring load was shared by Allen of Aurora, Colorado, and Dannebauer of Berlin, Germany, who each finished with 13 points. Dannebauer added a blocked shot. Point guard Ereauna Hardaway of Jonesboro, Arkansas, facilitated the offense with eight assists but the Roadrunners struggled with consistency, shooting poorly from the field and failing to match South Florida’s intensity after the first quarter.

Following the intermission, the Roadrunners showed resilience, outscoring the Bulls 18-10 in the third quarter behind a more concerted effort to feed Dannebauer in the post and a trio of three-pointers from Allen. They trimmed the deficit to 59-42, but could not sustain the rally. South Florida stabilized in the fourth quarter, matching UTSA point for point to close out the game.

The victory was a return to form for South Florida following a tough stretch against nationally ranked opponents earlier in the season. According to the Interstat ELO system, the Bulls entered the game with a 75.4 percent probability to win, a projection they fulfilled with their second-quarter performance.

Texas-San Antonio, which had won three of its last four conference games, including a victory over Charlotte last Saturday, saw its momentum halted. The Roadrunners will look to regroup quickly as they continue a road swing at Florida Atlantic on Friday.

South Florida, which had defeated Memphis on the road in its previous outing, will remain at home to host Wichita State on Saturday. The two teams are scheduled for a rematch in San Antonio on Feb. 14.