Griggs Sets AAC Record Saturday

Saturday, February 29

Memphis, Tenn.

2 PM

University of Memphis

13-15,4-11AAC

UCF *

18-9,10-5AAC

UCF

Memphis

Photo by: Brandon Dill

Feb 29, 2020 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Tigers fall to UCF in regular-season home finale.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Saturday's University of Memphis women's basketball game was Senior Day for the Tigers' Gazmyne Herndon, and she and her teammates put up an inspired effort. However, the Tigers fell short in a 67-59 American Athletic Conference setback to UCF at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse.

The loss drops Memphis to 13-15 overall and 4-11 in The American. The setback was the Tigers' sixth single-digit loss in conference play. The Knights improve to 18-9 and 10-5 in the league.

The Tigers now wrap up the regular season at SMU on Monday, Mar. 2 at 7 p.m. (CT). After the regular-season finale Monday, Memphis travels to Uncasville, Conn., for the 2020 American Athletic Conference Championship Mar. 6-9.

Herndon had six points, three rebounds and three assists in the final regular-season game of her career.

The day also was a record-setting one for a Tiger. Freshman Madison Griggs caught fire in the third quarter with four 3-pointers, and in the process, set two marks – one conference and one school.

After hitting two treys in the first four minutes of the third quarter, Griggs canned her American Athletic Conference-record 79^th3-pointer at the 5:26 mark of the period. Then, 43 seconds later, she added to that record with her 80^thtrey of the season and also set a Memphis record. Griggs' 80 3-pointers made are the most by a Memphis freshman, male or female. The men's freshman 3-pointers made record was set by Tyler Harris (79) in 2018-19. Griggs hit her final trey late in the game, giving her 81 made this season.

Dulcy Mendjiadeu Fankam posted her 13^thdouble-double of the season, and her eighth in conference play. Her eight double-doubles in league action leads all AAC players in that statistical category.

Griggs' last 3-pointer of the period ended a 9-2 Memphis run that gave the Tigers a 43-41 lead. Memphis then went cold, scoring only two points over the next 6:33. Over that time, UCF put together a 12-2 run to take control of the contest.

Memphis cut the UCF lead to six points three times in the last 5:08 of the game – the last time on Griggs' fifth trey of the game with :19 left – but got no closer.

The Knights' Kay Kay Wright, who came in averaging 17.0 points, scored 12 points in the first half, but was held to only two in the third period. She added five points in the final period on two key baskets, including a 3-pointer to push the UCF lead to 11 points (65-54) with 1:46 left.

The first half was back-and-forth with spurts for both teams. Memphis used an 8-0 run in the opening quarter to turn a 9-6 deficit into 14-9 lead. Julan McDonald's back-to-back 3-pointers keyed the Memphis spurt. UCF then used a 5-0 run to knot the score at 14-all at the end of the period.

Memphis answered in the opening three minutes of the second quarter with a 6-0 run for a 20-14 lead. The Knights responded with a 10-2 spurt for a 24-22 advantage with 3:43 left. The teams traded baskets the final two minutes, with Wright hitting a go-ahead trey with :32 on the clock for a 29-28 UCF lead at the break.

Memphis shot over 40 percent from the field (41.8) and arc (41.2). UCF hit 41.5 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from the 3-point line. The Knights edged the Tigers on the glass 35-34.

Tigers Tidbits

All five of Madison Griggs' field goals made were 3-pointers. Griggs has 95 field goals made this season and 81 of them are 3-pointers.
Griggs' five treys made tied her high in an American Athletic Conference game this season. She also hit five 3-pointers at Connecticut Feb. 7.
Dulcy Mendjiadeu Fankam recorded her 13^thdouble-double of the season. She now is tied for 12^thplace on the Memphis all-time list for double-doubles.