Second Half Comeback Leads Tigers To 66-65 Victory Over Houston

Wednesday, January 25

Memphis, Tenn.

7:00 PM

University of Memphis

2-59-11; AAC

Houston

1-68-12; AAC

Houston

Memphis

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Second Half Comeback Leads Tigers To 66-65 Victory Over Houston

Jan 25, 2017 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Cheyenne Creighton registers sixth double-double this season in the win.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A 23 point, 12 rebound double-double from Cheyenne Creighton as well as a career-high 12 points by Damonique Miller propelled the University of Memphis women's basketball team to a 66-65 victory over Houston Wednesday evening. The Tigers found themselves down as many as 14 in the second quarter before a fourth-quarter comeback led Memphis to victory.

Memphis improves to 9-11 overall and 2-5 in American Athletic Conference play. The win Wednesday evening at home puts head coach Melissa McFerrin just one win shy of 200 in her career and 150 at Memphis.

How It Happened
Houston, with five made three-pointers and 22 points in the first quarter, took an early 13-point advantage over the Tigers. That Houston lead grew to as many as 14 with 5:53 remaining in the second quarter before a Damonique Miller steal and fastbreak lay-up ignited the Tigers.

Miller's steal and lay-up with 5:21 to play in the half jump started the first of many mini runs for the Tigers. Miller went on to score nine points in the second quarter as Memphis went into the locker rooms down eight.

The Tigers continued to claw their way back into the contest through the heart of the third quarter. With 4:13 left in the third, Creighton hit a free throw to bring Memphis within two, the smallest edge the Cougars had over the Tigers since 4:54 remaining in the first.

Houston answered, however, with an 8-1 run to go back up nine with 13 seconds left in the third. Three free throws by Memphis sent the Tigers into the final quarter of action down six to the visiting Cougars.

Much like the start of the third quarter, Memphis continued to battle its way back into the ball game in the fourth. In the first five minutes of the quarter, the Tigers cut a six-point deficit into a one-point lead after a lay-up by Miller. Houston would take over the lead one more time before a mid-range jumper by Taylor Barnes backed by a three-pointer by Brea Elmore with under three minutes to play put Memphis up for good.

Turning Point
In the second quarter, a steal and a fastbreak lay-up by Damonique Miller was the play early in the game that proved the Tigers were still in it. The jumper by Taylor Barnes combined with the three-pointer by Brea Elmore with under three minutes left in the game were the back-to-back plays to put Memphis up for good over Houston.

Notables

Damonique Miller scored a career-high 12 points for the Tigers. Her previous career-high was seven.
Cheyenne Creighton had her sixth double-double of the season with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Creighton also had two blocks, two assists, and three steals in 40 minutes of action.
Taylor Williams finished with 16 points and nine rebounds for Memphis. She hit two of the three, three-pointers in the game.
Loysha Morris led the team with five assists.
Memphis had its ninth 10+-steal performance against the Cougars.
This is the only meeting during the regular season between the Tigers and the Cougars.
Memphis only led for 2:38 while Houston led the lead for 34:39.

Next Up For The Tigers
Memphis remains at home this weekend for a game against UCF on Saturday. Saturday's 11 a.m. game will be the annual Play4Kay game. The Tigers will be wearing pink uniforms in support of the Play4Kay mission. For more information on the Memphis women's basketball team, follow the Tigers on Twitter at @MemphisWBB or go online to www.gotigersgo.com.