Tigers Women's Basketball Drops 58-49 Decision At SMU

Saturday, January 16

Dallas, Texas

2 pm CT

University of Memphis

9-9, 3-4

SMU

8-8, 3-2

Memphis

SMU

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Tigers Women's Basketball Drops 58-49 Decision At SMU

Jan 16, 2016 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Fatigue showed late as Memphis played its seventh game in 18 days.

DALLAS, Texas – The fatigue bug finally caught up with the University of Memphis women's basketball team. In their seventh game in the last 18 days, the Tigers' shots fell short late in a 58-49 American Athletic Conference loss at SMU Saturday.

With the setback, Memphis falls to 9-9 overall and 3-4 in the conference. SMU improved to 8-8 and 3-2 in the league.

Fatigue definitely showed for the Tigers late, as they hit only 1-of-15 from the field in the final five minutes of the game. Overall, Memphis shot a season-low 28.2 from the field and only 22.2 percent from the three-point arc.

The Tigers' weariness also was evident on the defensive end. After shooting 30.4 percent in the first half, the SMU offense clicked in the second half, hitting 62.5 percent after the break. The Mustangs shot 46.8 percent for the game.

Mooriah Rowser led Memphis with 16 points and also added six rebounds. Ariel Hearn scored 12 points and grabbed six boards. Brianna Wright had eight points and eight rebounds. Asianna Fuqua-Bey grabbed six rebounds, but her playing time was limited due to foul trouble.

Alicia Froling led SMU with game highs of 19 points and 11 boards. Morgan Bolton added 11 points, and McKenzie Adams and Gabrielle Wilkins each scored 10 points. Adams handed out five assists.

SMU took control with a game-changing 14-2 run in a 5:32 span that stretched over the third and fourth quarters. The Mustangs trailed 39-32 with 4:06 left in the third quarter, but closed the period with an 11-2 spurt to take a 43-41 lead into the final period. Wilkins started the run with back-to-back baskets, and a Bolton three-pointer at the 1:08 mark gave SMU its first lead of the contest at 41-39. The Mustangs carried a 43-41 lead and momentum into the final quarter.

The Mustangs continued their run early in the fourth period when Bolton hit another three-pointer. Memphis immediately answered with a Wright layup, but SMU responded with a 10-2 run to take a 56-45 lead with under a minute to play. Alicia Froling netted eight points in the Mustangs' spurt.

The Tigers started the game strong, building an early 10-2 lead. Rowser had the hot hand in Memphis' game-opening spurt. She netted eight of the 10 points on two three-pointers and a layup. SMU, though, responded with an 11-5 run to cut the Tigers' lead to 15-13 with two minutes left. Adams and Wilkins powered the spurt with six and four points, respectively.

The free throw line kept SMU in the game in the first period. The Mustangs hit 7-of-10 from the charity stripe. The 10 free throws attempted are the most in a quarter against the Tigers this season. Memphis carried a 19-15 lead into the second period.

The second quarter proved troubling for both offenses, as the teams combined for only 13 points (Memphis 7, SMU 6). The Tigers shot 17.6 percent from the field (3-of-17) in the quarter, and the Mustangs hit only 27.3 percent from the floor (3-of-11).

SMU held a narrow 43-41 rebound advantage. The Tigers committed a season-low 10 turnovers, while forcing SMU into 17 miscues.

Memphis returns home Wednesday, Jan. 20 when it hosts nationally-ranked USF. The Bulls are ranked No. 16 in the Associated Press poll and No. 19 in the coaches poll. Game time is 7 p.m. (CT) at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse.