University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
Louisville
Lady Tigers Win 14th Straight at Fieldhouse
Jan 30, 2000 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 30, 2000
MEMPHIS, TN - Despite a slow start, the University of Memphis Lady Tiger basketball team pulled off a dramatic come-from-behind victory over Louisville (13-7, 6-3 Conference USA) Sunday afternoon, 61-58.
This victory for Memphis (12-8, 6-3 Conference USA), extends the Lady Tigers' winning streak in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse to 14 straight. The victory proved even sweeter with the pioneer of U of M women's athletics, Elma Roane, in attendance.
"Again, you have to give the crowd a lot of credit for coming alive in the crunch times of the game when we got down," said coach Joye Lee-McNelis. The one thing that this team is playing with right now is confidence. When we get down, we don't fold. When we get down, we rally to make a comeback. That shows the signs of a maturing team."
Junior forward Tiffany Adkins was the spark again for the Lady Tigers as she provided 16 points and six rebounds in the contest, while teammate and senior point guard Yolanda Reed was hot during the second half comeback finishing with 14 points and five assists during 35 minutes of play.
Memphis trailed for the duration of the first half, sometimes by as many as eight points before closing the gap to just two points and going into the lockerroom at the half with a two-point deficit, 26-24. The Lady Tigers were outrebounded by the Lady Cardinals, 27-15 in the first half.
Louisville came out hot and as a team shot 9-for-10 from the floor. It wasn't until just under the six minute mark that the Lady Tigers would tie the game up and eventually take the lead off a jumper by Tiffany Adkins, making the score 50-48. From then on Memphis would not let up and continued to lead throughout the game until sealing up the win. The Lady Tigers led by as many as five before closing out their sixth conference victory of the year.
Providing a much needed spark during the second half comeback was freshman center Shannon Hamp who dropped in nine points on a 4-of-7 shooting effort for the afternoon, while grabbing five boards as well.
Jill Morton led Louisville with 15 points, and teammate Alison Bass wound up with seven rebounds in the loss.
Memphis as a team shot 45 percent from the field, including 50 percent from three-point land. Louisville ended up shooting 35 percent from the floor, and 20 percent from behind the arc.
The U of M will begin the month of February on the road when they travel to Houston and Tampa to face the University of Houston and the University of South Florida in league action. The Lady Tigers will play South Florida at 6 p.m. CST on Feb. 4 and Houston at 2 p.m. on Feb. 6. The USF game will be taped for a delayed broadcast on SportsChannel on Feb. 5 at 9 p.m. EST.
