University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
South Florida
Lady Tigers Defeat South Florida, 81-62
Feb 04, 2000 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 4, 2000
TAMPA, FL - The University of Memphis Lady Tiger basketball team extended their winning streak to four with An 81-62 Conference USA victory over the University of South Florida here Friday evening. It was Memphis' second win over USF this season, and the ninth in the series between the two squads.
The Lady Tigers improved to 13-8 on the year and 7-3 in C-USA with the victory over the Bulls. The win marked just the second league victory for the Lady Tigers on the road. South Florida dropped to 10-11 on the year, 1-9 in C-USA, and extended their current losing streak to 10 games. USF has not won a game since their league opener to Houston on Jan. 2.
"Other than letting them get back in the game at the end, we played the best road game that we've played all season," said Coach Joye Lee-McNelis. "We played like we play at home and were a lot more poised and relaxed. I have to give a lot of credit to our bench for doing such a phenomenal job in keeping everyone up and in the game. Everyone had a part in this win and everyone contributed in the way we needed them to."
Senior Yolanda Reed, who scored Memphis' first nine points of the game, led the Lady Tigers in scoring with 19 points off a 7-of-11 shooting effort from the field and a 4-of-5 effort from the free-throw line. Three other Lady Tigers scored in double digits, including Lauren Jackson and Shannon Hamp who both scored 13 points, and Tiffany Adkins who chipped in 10 points. Adkins has scored in double digits in the last four straight games.
Hamp led the Lady Tigers in rebounding, pulling down seven boards. She also had one of her better defensive games with two blocked shots and a steal. Malissa Bush followed in rebounding with five boards, while also totaling three steals.
The Lady Tigers opened the second half strong, rolling off a 21-5 scoring run in the first 10 minutes of the half. The Memphis defense kept the Bulls scoreless for almost seven minutes in the early part of the half. The Lady Tigers forced 12 turnovers in the second half and held USF to a 36.7-percent shooting mark from the field. USF cut their deficit to 14 points with just under three minutes to play off two key three pointers by Shannon Layne, but would not get any closer to the Lady Tigers.
Memphis shot 50 percent from the field for the game and 75 percent from the free-throw line, hitting 18 of their 24 charity shots. South Florida shot 41.7 percent for the game, but outrebounded the Lady Tigers, 42-34.
The Lady Tigers took an eight-point lead into the lockerroom at the half, 38-30, after shooting 50 percent (15-of-30) from the field. USF shot 46.7 percent (14-of-30) percent from the field, led by Monica Echeverria and Lindsey Smith who both added 10 points in the first half. Memphis was 7of-9 from the free-throw line, while the Bulls hit just one of their nine shots from the charity stripe. Reed led the squad in the first half with 12 points, followed by Lauren Jackson who added eight points.
The Lady Tigers will travel to Houston to complete the two-game C-USA road swing when they face the Lady Cougars on Sunday at 2 p.m. Memphis' next home game will be Sunday, February 13, when the Lady Tigers welcome UAB to the Elma Roane Fieldhouse for a 3 p.m. meeting.
