University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
Houston
Lady Tiger Rally Falls Short
Feb 01, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 1, 2008
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - -
Complete Box Score in PDF Format 
Memphis cut a double-digit deficit to six points with 7:20 remaining, but had no answer inside for the Houston (12-9, 6-1 C-USA) front line or for All-American candidate Twiggy McIntyre, who hit 7-of-11 shots from the floor, including 6-for-9 from three-point range.
"I thought the physical game inside hurt us late in the game," Head Coach Blair Savage-Lansden said. "We did a good job of coming back and cutting in to their lead and we still had our chances to win it, which is saying something when you are out-rebounded 53-25."
Memphis looked rattled early, spotting the Cougars, who are tied for second in the C-USA standings, a quick 11-0 lead thanks to three quick treys from McIntyre from the corners. Memphis' offense was sluggish early in part to the absence of point guard Latoya Bullard, who missed the game due to illness. Freshman Alex Winchell stepped in to start at guard for Bullard, making her ninth career start and finishing with 11 points and four assists in 32 minutes of play.
The Lady Tigers finally got on the board off a Paris Leonard jumper, but it was a Winchell three that started a 7-0 run with 13:01 remaining in the first half that helped cut the Cougar lead to single digits following a Jessica Hall jumper with 9:14 to play. Houston quickly answered with another three from McIntyre, her fourth of the game, before Jessica Hall started an 8-0 Memphis run that whittled the deficit to single digits again at 30-26 with 5:34 to play off a pair of Aroha Jennings free-throws.
But it was McIntyre again who answered the Memphis run, hitting a three and then two straight free-throws to snap the Memphis momentum. The two teams would trade another pair of free-throws before a Jasmine Johnson lay-up with 2:04 pushed the Houston lead to 39-28. Neither team would score in the final two minutes of the half.
Memphis, which gave up six threes in the first half, held Houston to just two treys in the second stanza, but the Cougars answered with 18 points in the paint in the final 20 minutes, including eight from Tye Jackson, who pushed the Cougars in to transition, handing out five assists in the second half alone. Jackson, the C-USA Pre-Season Player of the Year, would finish with 11 points and seven assists. Memphis also slowed down center Cobilyn Hill, holding her to just three second half points after giving up nine points inside to Hill in the opening half.
The two teams traded threes to open the half before Houston got out into transition, pushing the lead to 49-33 with 15:49 to play. But again Memphis began chipping at the Cougar lead, using a 16-6 run that included three treys from Jessica Hall to cut the deficit to 55-49 with 7:20 to play. But Houston answered back with a 7-0 run that included five points from Tye Jackson and in the end, it was too much Houston offense, with eight different players scoring, including double-digits from four of the five starters.
Houston was led by McIntyre's game-high 22 points, while Hill finished with 12 points eight rebounds. Freshman Courtney Taylor added a double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds, while Tye Jackson finished with 12 points and seven assists.
Memphis was led by Hall's 20 points, her second 20-point or higher effort of the season, including 4-for-6 from three-point range. Alex Winchell added 11 points and a team-high four assists while Ashley Thornton came off the bench to score five points with a team-high five rebounds. Thornton and Hall both added five steals in the loss.
Memphis will round out its three-game home stand, Sunday, with a C-USA clash with Rice at 2 p.m. The Owls are coming off a 76-64 loss at UAB Friday night.
