University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
Se Louisiana
Defense Backs Lady Tigers to 60-45 Win
Dec 15, 2006 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 15, 2006
Box Score
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Following a break for final exams, a rested Lady Tiger defense had its best outing of the season, holding Southeastern Louisiana (6-4) to just 28.6 percent from the field in a 60-45 Memphis victory, Friday.
"You have to give credit to our players because they believed in what they had to believe in," head coach Blair Savage-Lansden said. "They believed the entire game. (Aroha) played great coming off the bench, everybody contributed and that's what we need. Paris came in and played phenomenal defense, and we have got to have that from everybody. Everybody came in and made a great contribution."
Memphis was down 7-6 when Aroha Jennings scored 10 unanswered points, putting Memphis up 16-6 and forcing Southeastern Louisiana head coach Lori Jones Davis to call her first timeout of the game.
The Lions would cut the lead to single digits, but could not pull any closer than four. Memphis hit the locker room up 24-19 and had held Bernita Williams to just four first half points. Williams came in to the game as Southeastern's second-leading scorer.
"Megan Gooch came in and played Bernita Williams and we knew coming in to the game how crucial it was to get to her. Megan came in and she jumped to the ball and she contested shots and with Megan's height advantage, it really helped contain (Williams) in the first half."
While the defense was the key thing in slowing down a Lady Lion team that had won five straight games coming in to the non-conference contest.
 Freshman forward Alysse Davis finished with 10 points and a career-best seven rebounds in the win Friday night.  |
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Early in the second half, the Lady Lions would cut the deficit to three at 32-29 off a Whitnee Miller lay-up, but Robin Jones, Alysse Davis and Jennings would all combine to score 11 straight points in three minutes to push the lead to double-digits, where it remained for the rest of the night.
"Coach just told us to buckle down on defense and not to let them come back in the game," Lady Tiger forward Ashley Thornton said. "We had worked too hard to get the lead, so we just had to buckle down on defense and step up."
Jennings finished the evening with a game-high 17 points, while Davis and Jones each chipped in 10 points apiece in the win. Ashley Thornton led the team with 10 rebounds, while Davis added a career-high seven rebounds, adding three assists in 25 minutes.
 Freshman Robin Jones finished with 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting from the field, Friday. |
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Williams would warm up in the second half for Southeastern Louisiana, but it was too late. She finished with 14 points and five rebounds, while Whitnee Miller added 10 points. Jazmin Cain led the Lady Lions with seven rebounds.
Memphis will play its final home non-conference game, Monday, when No. 25 Arkansas (10-1) comes to the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Southeastern Louisiana returns to Hammond, and will host Jackson State, Monday. The Memphis/Arkansas game tips at 7:05 p.m. (CT).
