University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
(5-5)
George Washington
(8-2)
@MemphisWBKB Can't Solve Colonials in 63-44 Loss
Dec 15, 2014 | Women's Basketball
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The University of Memphis women's basketball team (5-5) was held to a season-low 44 points in a 63-44 loss to George Washington (8-2), Monday.
"I thought we just gave away too many possessions," Head Coach Melissa McFerrin said. "We just took really, really tough shots and we were trying to counter their size with effort and made shots and we just couldn't hit a shot. We've got to knock down some shots, we had good shots there and if we would have hit some and got some confidence, we competed well in the first half."
George Washington opened the game with a pair of quick buckets from Jonquel Jones and some full court pressure on defense. Memphis tried to handle the 6-4 Jones inside with a couple of different defenses, finally getting a hand on some rebounds after trailing the rebounding total 16-5 in the opening 10 minutes of the game.
With three Tigers collapsing on Jones inside to slow down the Naismith List preseason honoree, the Tigers also found an end to their own scoring drought, where the team scored just seven points in the opening 10 minute stanza, shooting 3-for-15 (20 percent). Taylor Williams drained a three after a Memphis offensive rebound, and Brea Elmore followed with a steal and jumper to try to get the offense back in the groove.
The Tigers had cut the deficit to three following a Brianna Wright layup with 4:44 left in the opening half at 21-18. But Hannah Schaible took a hard foul and stepped to the line and hit both free-throws. An Ariel Hearn jumper again made it three at 23-20, but Schaible snuck loose on the perimeter and drilled a three from the wing to push the lead back to six with 3:44 left in the opening half.
Memphis couldn't get any closer in the remainder of the half, sending GW to the free-throw line, where they hit 3-of-4 to close the half with a 29-22 lead.
A late foul on Hearn with 9.0 seconds left in the first half proved costly in the second half, when Hearn tried to run down a breaking out Chakecia Miller. Miller hit the bucket and one and Hearn went to the bench with her third personal foul. Without Hearn in there to handle the GW pressure, Memphis turned it over on two straight trips and went down double-digits early in the second half. A 5-0 run pushed the Colonial lead to 38-23 and it stayed out of reach for Memphis from there.
Ariel Hearn finished with 19 points, including nine points late in the game. Asianna Fuqua-Bey finished with eight points and six rebounds.
Jones led all players with a double-double of 15 points and 14 rebounds in 26 minutes of play. She also added two blocks and four assists in GW's sixth straight win.
The Tigers return home to host one more game before the players go home for the semester break. Memphis hosts Mississippi Valley State, Friday, at 7 p.m. in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. That game will be the team's annual Teddy Bear Toss game. All new stuffed animals collected from the halftime-scheduled bear toss will be collected and donated to LeBonheur Children's Research Hospital.
