Women's basketball triumphs over Arkansas State in 78-50 win

Saturday, December 14

Memphis, Tenn.

12 PM

University of Memphis

6-4,0-0AAC

Arkansas State

3-6,0-0Sun Belt

Arkansas St.

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Women's basketball triumphs over Arkansas State in 78-50 win

Dec 14, 2019 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Jamirah Shutes scores 17 points; Keke Hunter records 11-point, 17-rebound double-double

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A 19-0 run combined with stifling defense in the middle of the contest propelled the University of Memphis women's basketball team to a 78-50 victory over Arkansas State Saturday afternoon. The Tigers improve to 6-4 on the year with three non-conference games remaining in 2019.

Jamirah Shutes led the Tigers with 17 points while Keke Hunter posted a strong 11-point, 17-rebound double-double for Memphis. Hunter's 17 rebounds were a career high.

Memphis jumped out to a 5-0 lead before the Red Wolves found an answer. The two squads exchanged baskets through the heart of the first quarter before the trio of Alana Davis, Jamirah Shutes and Julan McDonald strung together a 6-0 run to close out the first quarter for a 19-17 Memphis lead.

That 6-0 run was extended to an 8-0 run as Hunter hit a layup with 8:36 on the clock in the second quarter. An Arkansas State three-pointer put a stop to the Memphis run.

The Memphis defense ultimately held Arkansas State to just eight points in the second quarter, with the last field goal coming with 2:54 before the intermission to tie the game at 25-all. That proved to be the final time that Memphis and Arkansas State would be tied in the contest.

McDonald hit a three-pointer with 2:33 before the break to ignite Memphis' 19-0 run through the middle of the third quarter. The Tigers scored eight of those 19 points in the final two and a half minutes of the second quarter to go into the locker room up 33-25 against the Red Wolves.

The Tigers held Arkansas State scoreless until the 4:39 mark in the third quarter. Memphis grew its lead to as many as 23 with 3:19 in the third on an Alana Davis free throw.

Memphis continued to maintain a strong lead over the Red Wolves through the remainder of the contest. The Tigers hit their largest lead, 29 points, after a Gazmyne Herndon lay-up with 1:05 in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers finished with a shooting percentage of 46.7 percent while hitting a season-high nine three-pointers. The Memphis defense held Arkansas State to 29.6 percent from the floor.

Memphis resumes action this week at Little Rock on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Tipoff against the Trojans is slated for 7 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information on the Memphis women's basketball team, follow the Tigers on social media at @MemphisWBB.

Tiger Tidbits

Keke Hunter recorded a career-high 17 rebounds. Her previous career high of 10 was set against Kansas State at the Junkanoo Jam in Bimini, Bahamas.
Jamirah Shutes tied her career high of four made three-pointers. She finished the game going 4-for-7.
Madison Griggs also connected on four shots from deep, scoring double-digit points for the fifth time this season.
Griggs and Shutes helped Memphis hit a season-best nine three-pointers.
Griggs' four triples marked the fifth time this season the freshman has made three-plus three pointers.
The Tigers pulled down a season-high 34 defensive rebounds, topping the previous high of 32 set against UAB. Memphis grabbed a season-high 50 total rebounds.
Memphis held Arkansas State to 29.6 percent shooting, making the Red Wolves the fourth squad to shoot below 30 percent against the Tigers.
All nine Tigers that saw minutes in the game scored at least once.