University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
UCF
First Half Deficit Hurts Memphis on the Road
Feb 26, 2009 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 26, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. - -
Complete Box Score in PDF Format 
Memphis (11-17, 4-11 C-USA) out-scored UCF 43-37 in the second half, but could not overcome a 45-24 first half deficit that was powered by 14 Tiger turnovers which turned in to 19 UCF points in an 82-67 loss at UCF (12-16, 10-5 C-USA), Thursday.
The Knights pressed the Tigers from the go, preventing Memphis from getting the ball up the court, much less in to an offensive set. Twelve Memphis turnovers quickly turned in to 19 UCF points in the first 16 minutes of the game. Memphis, with just eight players dressed for the game, did not have many options to bring off the bench, a problem that got worse for Memphis when Alex Winchell was whistled for her fourth personal foul with 5:10 to play in the opening half. With Tehani Goldsmith out of the game for medical reasons, the Tigers had to tap senior Paris Leonard to run the point. Leonard managed to get through the press and would attack the rim, drawing a slew of Tiger trips to the free-throw line, but that was the only place Memphis could convert points, as Memphis scored just two field goals in the seven plus minute span from 11:33 until the 4:05 mark, when Leonard hit three of four free-throws to get Memphis to a 41-15 deficit before the under four minute media timeout, trailing 45-24 at the break.
The Tigers trailed 45-24 at the break, and after the break, came out and tried to be the aggressor, opening on an 8-3 run off two sprint outs from Ramses Lonlack, cutting the deficit to 16 at 48-32 with 17:38 to play, forcing a UCF timeout. Memphis would rattle the UCF ball-handlers, starting to force more turnovers and slowly whittling the lead down to 15 at 50-35 with 15:43 to play following an Ashley Thornton free-throw. UCF answered by again pushing the lead to as many as 18 following an Emma Cannon lay-up before Paris Leonard knocked down a three to again cut it to 15, at 59-44 with 8:59 to play. That triple would start a 9-2 Memphis run, which also included a Shae Seagraves three, to cut it to 61-49 with 7:53 to play. Emma Cannon would get credit for a tip in on the ensuing play to stop the Memphis run while trying to get an offensive rebound away from Seagraves, but Memphis senior Ashley Thornton responded with a bucket and one, pulling Memphis to just 11 down at 63-52 with 7:16. But Memphis suffered a set-back as senior guard Paris Leonard went down after making knee-to-knee contact in Memphis' end of the floor. The senior limped off the floor, and to the training room, leaving Memphis without its leading scorer with the UCF lead down to just 11. Thornton and Ramses Lonlack tried to keep the momentum in Memphis' court with a pair of layups, cutting the deficit to 10 two different times in the next two minutes, but by the time Leonard checked back in at the under four minute media timeout, the Tigers were down by 14, 70-56.
UCF would go back to pressuring the Tiger guards on the in-bounds plays, using that pressure to close out the 82-67 victory.
Leonard would lead Memphis with 21 points, while Ashley Thornton had her 16th career double-double, finishing with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Shae Seagraves added a career best 11 points, her first career double-digit scoring game, in the loss, while Ramses Lonlack finished with nine points on 3-for-13 shooting. Thornton heads in to her final regular season career game needing just four more points for her 1,000th career point. UCF was led by Emma Cannon's 21 points. Cannon added 15 rebounds and four steals, while four other Knights added double-digit points in the victory.
Memphis will close out the regular season at Southern Miss, Saturday, at 5 p.m. Memphis will find out Sunday who they will face in the opening round of the Conference USA Championships. The 2009 Conference USA Women's Basketball Championship is set to get underway on March 5-8 in New Orleans. For the past 13 years the league has awarded the championship trophy to eight different outstanding teams. Fans may purchase their tickets in advance by calling the University of Memphis Ticket Office at 901-678-2331 or by from Tulane Athletics at tulanegreenwave.com or 504.861.WAVE (9283). General admission All Session tickets are $50 for adults and $40 for youth, while Single Session prices are $10 for adults and $7 for youth.
