University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
SMU
Lady Tigers Drop Sixth Straight
Jan 13, 2006 | Women's Basketball
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Jan. 13, 2006
DALLAS, Texas - - Two six minute scoring droughts and a significantly bigger SMU front line that combined for 25 points and 25 rebounds and eight blocks guided SMU to a win in its first-ever C-USA home game at Moody Coliseum, Friday.
"Their post players are not only big, they are very mobile and we had that on our characteristics sheet," Head Coach Blair Savage said. "We just buried ourselves early, if we could've kept 51 off the boards in the first half, we would've had a better chance. We had a six-minute spree where we became impatient, and we are trying to get our players to understand you have to be that much more disciplined and wait for the shots and not rush."
Memphis committed seven turnovers in the first eight minutes of the first half as SMU took an 11-8 lead and stretched it to 16-8 before Paris Leonard answered back with a three of her own and a free-throw to cut the lead to 16-12 at the 11:05 mark. The Lady Tigers then came out of the under 12 media timeout and committed three straight turnovers, while SMU crashed the boards and stretched their lead to 20-12 in just two minutes, forcing Savage to call her first timeout of the game.
SMU then stuffed four straight Lady Tiger shots in a four-minute stretch between the 6:48 mark and the 2:47 mark in the opening half, keeping the Lady Tigers scoreless for the four-minute stretch while running the Mustang lead out to 34-19. Leonard was the lone scoring bright spot for Memphis in the first half, finishing with 10 points, with all three of her field goals coming from three-point range. SMU held Memphis to just one offensive rebound in the first half (a team offensive rebound) and out-rebounded the Lady Tigers 27-11 in the opening 20 minutes as Memphis would work the offense, but only get a one and done opportunity to score as Dodds and Davis combined for 15 first half rebounds for SMU. SMU then used a balanced offensive attack to double up the Lady Tigers, 42-21, at the half with eight of the nine Mustangs who played scoring in the opening stanza.
In the second half, Memphis cut the lead to 14, but Memphis fouls and SMU rebounding helped the Mustangs keep the game out of reach as Memphis attempted just five free-throws in the second half and was whistled for 19 fouls for the game compared to six for SMU.
Leonard was the lone Lady Tiger in double-digits with 21 points, including 4-for-7 from three-point range. Ashley Howard had nine rebounds to lead the team, but the Lady Tigers got out-rebounded 48-36 for the game.
Memphis will travel to Tulsa to play the Golden Hurricane, Sunday, at 2 p.m. That game can be heard on WUMR 91.7 FM with Jeff Brightwell calling the game. Tulsa is coming off a 60-57 loss to UAB.
