Balanced scoring leads women's basketball to home opening win

Tuesday, November 5

Memphis, Tenn.

5 PM

University of Memphis

1-0,0-0AAC

Alcorn State

0-1,0-0SWAC

Alcorn

Memphis

Photo by: Brandon Dill

Balanced scoring leads women's basketball to home opening win

Nov 05, 2019 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Memphis vs Alcorn State Box

Fankam Mendjiadeu, Shutes and Williams tally 11 points each

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Three players in double-figures led the University of Memphis women's basketball team to a 57-51 victory over Alcorn State Tuesday evening to open up the 2019-20 campaign. The win marked the ninth-straight home opening victory for the Tigers.

Play between the two teams started with a balanced effort until an 8-2 run by the Tigers gave Memphis a six-point lead with 3:11 left in the first quarter. Lanetta Williams knocked down her first two three-point attempts during the Memphis run.

Alcorn State kept the Tigers close, never allowing Memphis to build more than a six-point lead in the first half. A 9-0 run by Memphis to close out the first half saw the Tigers head into the locker room with that six-point lead.

Williams led the charge in the first half with eight points while junior forward Alana Davis contributed five points and a team-leading six rebounds.

Memphis forced four quick turnovers and pushed the tempo to start the second half. Within five minutes, Memphis' six-point halftime grew to 12 with momentum swaying in favor of the Tigers.

Through the heart of the third quarter, Memphis' lead grew to as many as 16 with 3:02 on the clock, capped by an Alana Davis layup.

Alcorn State fought its way back in the fourth, cutting the Memphis lead to five with a 10-0 run. Jamirah Shutes put a halt to the Lady Braves' run with a lay-up with 2:32 remaining in the game.

With 7.1 seconds remaining and Alcorn State with the ball, Shutes forced a Lady Braves turnover which led to a foul and two made free throws by Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, sealing the victory for the Tigers.

Williams, Shutes and Fankam Mendjiadeu finished with 11 points each to pace the Tigers offensively. Williams also pulled down a team-high nine rebounds and five blocks. Shutes recorded five steals and six assists.

Tiger Tidbits

Starters for the Tigers were senior Gazmyne Herndon, juniors Keke Hunter and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, sophomore Malainna "Rudy" White and freshman Aerial Wilson.
Fankam Mendjiadeu scored the first points of the 2019-20 season.
Memphis started the game 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.
Lanetta Williams recorded her first-career double-digit performance with 11 points.
Williams finished with 11 points, nine rebounds and five blocks. Her five blocks are the third-most in a single-game by a freshman in Memphis history.
Memphis opens the season with a win at home for the ninth-consecutive season.
The Tigers outrebounded Alcorn State, 45-35.