Tulsa
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UTEP
Tulsa Snaps Six-Game Skid; Throttles UTEP, 69-46
1/21/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 21, 2001
Tulsa, Oklahoma - Junior Carla Morrow scored a team-high 19 points and senior Rachel Henkelmann pulled down a game-best 10 rebounds to lead Tulsa to a 69-46 Western Athletic Conference victory at the Donald. W. Reynolds Center.
With the win, Tulsa snaps a six-game skid and improves to 4-11 overall and 1-3 in conference play. Morrow's 19 points led three TU players in double figure scoring. After coming off the bench, she finished 7-of-14 from the field, 3-of-7 from behind the three-point line and pulled down five rebounds. Freshman Candice Brewer tallied a career-high 17 points and senior Athena Pirpich drained 4-of-7 three-point attempts for 12 points. In 17 minutes of action, Henkelmann chipped in four points and dished-out three assists, but more importantly pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds.
UTEP (6-12, 2-5 WAC) received 19 points from sophomore Amy Pack, while classmate Heidi Walker added 14 points off the bench. Although, the Miners outrebounded the Hurricane, 35-32, Tulsa forced UTEP into 25 turnovers. The turnovers, coupled with just nine total field goals and an 0-for-6 afternoon behind the three-point line led to just 23 points in each half.
Except for two ties in the first 4:39, Tulsa led from start to finish. After UTEP tied the contest at 4-4, TU used a 15-0 run over the next 4:35 to jump out to a 19-4 advantage. TU led by as many as 15 points twice in the first half and took a 36-23 lead into the locker room at halftime. Tulsa's stingy defense surrendered just two first-half field goals, but the Miners stayed alive at the free-throw line as the Hurricane was whistled for 18 fouls in the opening period. UTEP scored 19 (19 of 26) of its 23 first-half points at the charity stripe.
Early in the second half, Brewer nailed a short jumper to give TU its third 15-point lead of the game. UTEP responded with a 7-0 run to pull to within eight points (38-30) with 3:07 gone by in the final period. A bucket by freshman Becky Heidotten extended TU's advantage back into double-figures, but the Miners did manage to cut the deficit to eight points on two other occasions, but could not get any closer. Morrow and Pirpich continued to rain three-pointers down on UTEP. The duo combined for a 7-of-16 (.438) effort against the Miners.
For the fourth game this season, Pirpich finished with four three-point baskets, while the 19 points were Morrow's second-best point total of her career.
