Tigers Fall to ECU in AAC Championship Semifinal

Wednesday, March 8

Fort Worth, Texas

6 p.m.

University of Memphis

20-10,11-4AAC

(3) ECU

22-9,11-5AAC

East Carolina

Memphis

Photo by: Zach Wall

Mar 08, 2023 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

FORT WORTH, Texas – Playing in their first American Athletic Conference Championship Semifinal game, the Memphis Tiger women's basketball team took on the 3-seed East Carolina Pirates. While the Tigers would be able to fight back from a 10-point deficit, and eventually tie the game, Memphis would not be able to pull ahead and would suffer the 69-60 loss.

Following tonight's game, Memphis moves to 21-10 overall.

The defenses of both teams would make it difficult for either team to score, seeing an 8-6 ECU lead heading into the media timeout in the first quarter.

Turnovers would plague the Tigers to start the game; ECU would force them into seven turnovers in the opening 10 minutes. Lanetta Williams and Emani Jefferson would give the Tigers a short jumper and two made free throws in the last minutes of the quarter to cut their deficit to 19-12 heading into the second frame.

Memphis and ECU would be in a deadlock through the first six minutes of the second quarter; Jamirah Shutes would get the Tigers within five after back-to-back free throws with 4:02 left in the half.

After the Pirates would push their lead out to 34-24 with 48 seconds left in the half, Jefferson would get consecutive lay-ups in the final 30 seconds to make it a 34-28 game heading into halftime.

A scoring drought of nearly three minutes to open the second half would be broken after Shutes hit a fade away jump shot along the baseline to make it a 40-32 game.

The duo of Shutes and Jefferson, along with Jada Wright, would light up the Tiger offense, combining for an 8-0 run to end the third quarter to tie the game up at 43-43 heading into the final 10 minutes of play.

A 13-7 run to open the fourth quarter would push the Pirates back out to a six-point lead after Micah Dennis drained a three-pointer from the top of the key with five minutes to play. Memphis would not be able to catch ECU from there are they sank seven free throws down the stretch to hand the Tigers the 69-60 loss.

Jamirah Shutes led the team with 21 points and four assists while Emani Jefferson picked up her second consecutive double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Jada Wright came in off the bench for 12 points and nine rebounds.

As a team, Memphis shot 31.4% from the field and forced ECU into 15 turnovers.

The Tigers will now wait for postseason consideration following this weekend's bracket reveals.

How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Basketball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.