University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
Missouri
Cold Second Half Costs Women's Basketball on the Road
Dec 22, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 22, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. - - The Memphis women's basketball team (9-3) shot just 25.4 percent from the field and hit just three field goals in the last 10 minutes of the game in a 58-48 loss at Missouri (9-1), Thursday. The loss is the second straight for Memphis, who shot 17.6 percent from the floor in the second half.
"What I told this team in the locker room is that I'm asking them to bring a little something more," head coach Melissa McFerrin said. "This is a team that is so close to doing something special, but we haven't been there before, and we are trying to take that next step. I just asked them to bring a little something more. My coaches told me we missed 28 layups and I am trying to communicate to them that every possession could be the play of the game; tonight it was missed layups and three offensive rebounds on their half, two against our zone and one against our man."
Memphis struggled to convert layups in the opening minutes of the first half, shooting 13.3 percent in the first four minutes and 32.4 percent for the opening half of the game. Missouri, on the other hand, used its drivers to set up three-point shooters. Missouri got six quick points from Sydney Crafton, then 6-3 Christine Flores drained a three to build a 26-18 Missouri lead. But once Memphis cut down on its turnovers and recovered from a number of missed layups at the rim, Jasmine Lee found her stride, hitting seven straight points, including a bucket and one that pulled Memphis within one at 29-28 with 2:25 to go.
Missouri called a timeout to try to shut down the inside game, but left just enough light for Brittany Carter to hit a shot with her foot on the three-point line to put the Tigers in front 30-29 for their first lead of the night with 1:49 to play in the opening half. Ramses Lonlack added a bucket to offset a Mizzou jumper, also with a foot on the three-point line, to send Memphis in to the locker room up 32-31 Carter finished as Memphis' leading scorer with 14 points and 10 rebounds, but struggled in the second half after running in to a screen. Jasmine Lee added 10 points and 12 rebounds. Memphis out-rebounded Missouri 55-50, but gave up 16 offensive boards.
Memphis will break for the holidays, then will return home to close out its 2011 non-conference slate, Friday, Dec. 30th, when Big East foe Seton Hall comes to the Elma Roane Fieldhouse.
