Williams Leads Tigers In Victory Over Northwestern State

Wednesday, November 30

Memphis, Tenn.

5:30 PM

University of Memphis

3-4

Northwestern State

3-3

Northwestern State

Memphis

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Williams Leads Tigers In Victory Over Northwestern State

Nov 30, 2016 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Senior Taylor Williams finishes with game-high 16 points for Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis women's basketball team returned home to the Elma Roane Fieldhouse Wednesday night and earned a much-desired victory over Northwestern State by a score of 54-38. The Tigers improve to 3-4 overall and 2-1 on their home floor.

How It Happened
Memphis got on the board first with a pair of lay-ups by Cheyenne Creighton. After Creighton's second lay-up with 8:45 left in the first quarter, the teams went over three minutes before another basket was scored.

With just over a minute to play in the first, a lay-up by Taylor Williams and a jumper by Breigha Wilder-Cochran ignited the Memphis offense. The Tigers proceeded to outscore Northwestern State 21-7 in the second quarter to build up a sizable lead over the visiting Lady Demons.

The second half of play was rather balanced between the two squads offensively as Northwestern State never got any closer than 16 points and the Memphis lead never grew to anymore than 23.

The Lady Demons did, however, outscore Memphis in the second half, but the second quarter Tiger surge kept Northwestern State at bay.

Turning Point
Three baskets in the final 1:41 of the first quarter by Memphis ignited a 21-point second quarter to pull the Tigers away from Northwestern State. Memphis shot 62.5 percent from the floor in the second quarter to ultimately go up 20 points at the half.

Notables

Taylor Williams recorded a game-high 16 points. She has had games of 17 points, 18 points, and 16 points at home this season.
Cheyenne Creighton contributed 11 points for Memphis, which makes that double figures in all seven games this season. She was one rebound shy of a double-double as well. Creighton has had nine rebounds in three games this year.
The Tigers matched their season-high with 15 steals. Memphis had 15 steals against Arkansas at the Nugget Classic.
Northwestern State was averaging 74.6 points per game before the Tigers limited it to 38 Wednesday night.
Memphis outscored Northwestern State 32-18 in the paint and 26-17 in points off turnovers. The Tigers forced 27 Northwestern State turnovers.

Quotable – Melissa McFerrin, Head Coach
"I was pleased that we got the win tonight. I thought the first half was about as well as we could play and play as a team and execute the game plan. We came away with the win tonight and that was the goal."

Next Up For The Tigers
Memphis will take on Little Rock this upcoming Sunday at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Tip-off against the Trojans is scheduled for 2 p.m. For more information on the Memphis women's basketball team, follow us on Twitter at @MemphisWBB.