Tulane Gets Back on the Right Track
Jun 21, 1999 | Women's Basketball
February 6, 1999
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Tulane outscored Memphis 17-8 over the final three-and-a-half minutes, including a 12-of-13 effort from the free throw line, as the Green Wave captured a 72-63 win over the Lady Tigers at the Pyramid on Saturday.
The win snapped Tulane's three-game losing skid and gave the Green Wave (18-5, 9-4 C-USA) its first-ever series sweep of Memphis (16-6, 8-5 C-USA). Tulane also posted a 98-51 win over the Lady Tigers in Fogelman Arena back on Jan. 8, and now has won three straight over Memphis.
Tulane held a 42-29 lead with 13:54 left to play before Memphis came storming back to tie the game at 55-55 at the 3:38 mark. But Tulane answered with an 8-0 run to take a 63-55 advantage. Kristen Koch started the burst with an old-fashioned three-point play and freshman Sarah Goree followed with a three-pointer to push the Wave advantage to six. Grace Daley added two free throws to give Tulane an eight-point cushion, 63-55, with 1:45 remaining. Memphis' Kelly Herron hit a desparation three to cut the lead to five, but Gwen Slaughter pushed the margin to six with a free throw. Lauren Jackson hit a second three-pointer to bring the Lady Tigers to within three before Goree's two charity tosses gave the Green Wave a five-point lead, 66-61, with 33 seconds remaining. After two Memphis misses, Fabrecia Roberson hit four straight free throws to give Tulane a 70-61 lead with 11 seconds left. A Yolanda Reed jumper cut the lead to seven, but Koch hit two free throws to give Tulane the final margin.
Before a nationally-televised audience on ESPN2, Daley and Goree each scored a game-high 18 points, with Daley adding seven rebounds. Roberson added 12 points, including a 6-of-6 performance from the free throw line. Kristen Koch and Gwen Slaughter each added seven points, and Koch dished out a team-high five assists. Tamika Whitmore led Memphis with 16 points, almost 10 below her 25.8 ppg scoring average, and 14 rebounds.
The teams traded baskets through the first half, as there were four ties in the first 12 minutes. Memphis held a 6-5 lead, but a three-pointer from Sarah Goree gave Tulane an 8-6 margin and the Green Wave would never trail again. With Tulane holding a 24-20 lead, Herron hit a three-pointer to bring Memphis to within one with 4:30 remaining before half time. But it would be the Lady Tigers' final field goal of the half, as Tulane closed the stanza with a 7-2 burst and held a 31-25 lead at the break.
Tulane built a 13-point lead early in the second half as Memphis missed seven of its first eight shots. A free throw from Lacey Vicknair and two charity tosses from Daley gave the Wave a nine-point lead two minutes into the half. A Malissa Bush basket brought Memphis back to within seven, but Daley answered with two free throws and Koch and Gwen Slaughter each hit jumpers, as Tulane built a 13-point cushion, 40-27, with 16:20 left to play. The teams traded baskets before Memphis' rally tied the game at 55-55.
The Wave held Memphis to just 39.7 percent shooting, well below the Lady Tigers' 47.0 percent average. Memphis held a slight 38-37 advantage in rebounding, but committed 21 turnovers compared to Tulane's 19. The Green Wave blocked eight Memphis shots, four coming from C-USA blocks leader Janell Burse.
Tulane returns to action on Friday, Feb. 12, as the Green Wave play host to Conference USA rival Houston at Fogelman Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., and the game can be heard on WRBH-FM, 88.3 on the FM dial, in New Orleans.
