Tigers Women's Basketball Wins At Central Michigan Tuesday

Tuesday, December 15

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

11 am CT

University of Memphis

5-5

Central Michigan

4-4

Memphis

Central Michigan

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Tigers Women's Basketball Wins At Central Michigan Tuesday

Dec 15, 2015 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Hearn converts game-winning three-point play with :06.5 on the clock.

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – She did it again. For the second time this season, Ariel Hearn's last-second heroics lifted the University of Memphis women's basketball team to a win, this time a 64-61 victory on the road at Central Michigan Tuesday.

But, on this occasion, Hearn had a little help. With time running down in regulation, Hearn and junior college transfer Loysha Morris trapped Central Michigan's Da'Journie Turner near midcourt, and Morris forced a steal. Hearn then picked up the loose ball and raced to the other end for the go-ahead layup. Hearn was fouled on the layup, and she converted the three-point play with :06.5 on the clock.

Central Michigan had no timeouts remaining and a half-court heave fell short at the buzzer, giving Memphis the three-point win.

The victory improved Memphis' record to 5-5. The win was sweet for all Tigers, but especially head coach Melissa McFerrin, who began her NCAA Division I coaching career at Central Michigan in the mid-1980s. McFerrin was an assistant coach for the Chippewas from 1984-90. With the loss, Central Michigan fell to 4-4. The Chippewas have dropped four straight.

Hearn led all scorers with 18 points and added four boards, four assists and two steals. Morris, who assisted in the game-winning play, finished with nine points and three steals. Mooriah Rowser led Memphis on the glass with seven rebounds, and Asianna Fuqua-Bey had a game-high four steals to go with her six points and four rebounds.

Central Michigan's Tinara Moore posted a double-double of 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Cassie Breen and Reyna Forest each scored 11 points for the Chippewas. Turner handed out five assists.

The Tigers, which trailed 61-56, closed the game with an 8-0 run and held the Chippewas scoreless the game's final six minutes. During that time, Central Michigan went 0-of-9 from the floor and committed three turnovers in the last 6:05 of the contest.

Memphis took advantage of Central Michigan's drought. Rowser's jumper at the 4:44 mark cut the Central Michigan lead to 61-58, and just over two minutes later, a Taylor Williams' three-pointer tied the game at 61-all with 2:07 left, setting up the game's final seconds.

The Chippewas led 33-30 at half, but Memphis opened the third period with a 6-0 spurt to take a 36-33 advantage. Morris, Brianna Wright and Brea Elmore accounted for the points in the run. The score remained close the rest of the period as the largest lead was three points. The third period alone had five ties and five lead changes. Memphis held a 51-48 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

Central Michigan regained the lead at 56-54 on a Presley Hudson basket with 7:09 left in the final period. Moments later, a Frost three-pointer and a Turner layup in a 19-second span gave the Chippewas the largest second-half lead for either team at 61-56 with 6:07 on the clock.

In the first period, Memphis jumped out to an early 6-0 lead and built its advantage to eight points at 16-8 on an Elmore three-pointer at the 4:36 mark. The Chippewas finished period on an 11-2 spurt to slice the Tigers' lead to one at 18-17.

Memphis maintained its small lead through the first five minutes of the second period, but a Moore layup at the 4:49 mark gave the home team its first lead of the contest at 26-24. Central Michigan remained in front the rest of the period and took a 33-30 lead into halftime.

The Tigers shot 42.2 percent from the floor, including 51.7 percent in the second half, and 71.4 percent from the charity stripe. Central Michigan hit 37.1 percent from the field and 70 percent from the free throw line. The Memphis defense held the Chippewas to 31.3 percent from the floor in the second half.

Central Michigan dominated the glass and held a 46-31 advantage on the boards. The Tigers, though, countered with defense, forcing the Chippewas to turn the ball over a season-high 20 times.

Memphis returns to action Saturday, Dec. 19 with its final regular-season non-conference match-up against Illinois. Game time is 2 p.m. (CT) at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. At halftime, the Tigers will hold their annual Teddy Bear Toss.