Tulane University
Houston
Balanced Effort Leads Tulane Past Houston
Feb 11, 2001 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 11, 2001
HOUSTON - The Tulane women's basketball team had six players score in double figures as the Green Wave posted a 75-59 win over Houston at Hofheinz Pavillion on Sunday.
Tulane moved into sole possession of first place in Conference USA's National Division with the win, improving to 17-8 overall and 10-3 in league play. Houston dropped to 15-9 and are 8-4 in C-USA play. The Green Wave's win also avenged a Jan. 14, 90-80 overtime loss at the hands of the Cougars in New Orleans.
The Green Wave effectively sealed the win with a 14-4 run early in the second half. With Tulane leading 40-30 at the 18:03 mark, Taryn Turnbull scored seven straight points to give the Green Wave a 47-30 cushion. A basket from Cathy Lida and a pair of free throws from Nicole Oliver brought Houston to within 13, but the Wave answered with another 7-0 burst to build a 20-point lead. Teana McKiver started the run with a jumper in the lane and then assisted on a Britt Themann three-pointer. Janell Burse added two free throws at the 13:00 mark and Tulane led 54-34. The Cougars would rally to trim the margin to 13, but each time the Wave answered. Kelly Scanlon punctuated the win with a three-pointer from an in-bounds play as the shot clock was winding down, giving Tulane its 13th win in its last 16 games.
Burse led Tulane with 14 points, thanks in part to a 6-of-8 showing at the free throw line. The senior All-American also pulled down eight rebounds and grabbed three steals. Teana McKiver recorded her third double-double of the year, scoring 12 points to go along with 10 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal. Gwen Slaughter also scored 12 points and handed out four assists, had one block and one steal.
The Tulane guards also had a strong showing, as Turnbull, Sarah Goree, Britt Themann and Kelly Scanlon combined to connect on 14-of-19 shots from the floor (73.7 percent). Turnbull was 4-of-5 from the floor for 10 points and had six assists and a steal. Goree also added 10 points, hitting 4-of-8 shots, while handing out five assists. Themann was a perfect 4-of-4 from the floor, including 3-of-3 from the three-point line for 11 points, while both of Scanlon's shots from the floor came from behind the arc for six points.
The Green Wave scored the first 10 points of the game, holding Houston scoreless for nearly three minutes in the process. Gwen Slaughter started the game with back-to-back jumpers and Taryn Turnbull took a long pass from Kelly Scanlon for a break-away lay-up. Turnbull hit a free throw to complete a three-point play before Sarah Goree connected on a three-pointer from behind the arc to give Tulane a 10-0 lead at the 17:37 mark. Houston cut the lead to five, but a free throw from Janell Burse and a lay-up from Sarah Goree pushed the margin back to eight. The teams traded points, and the Wave led 17-9, when Scanlon hit a three-pointed to give Tulane an 11-point lead. Houston would again get within single digits, 22-16, at the 7:45 mark, but Burse connected on two free throws to give Tulane a 10-point lead at the 5:35 mark and the Cougars would get no closer.
Tulane connected on an impressive 60.0 percent of its shots (30-of-50), while holding Houston to 33.8 percent shooting (24-of-71). The Green Wave also hit 7-of-9 three-pointers and 8-of-10 free throws, while the Cougars were just 2-of-16 from behind the arc. Houston did earn a 36-35 edge in rebounding after grabbing three offensive rebounds inside the final 20 seconds.
The Green Wave are back in action on Friday, as the Green Wave play host to Memphis at Fogelman Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be televised locally on WHNO TV.
