Tulsa
at Fresno State (WAC)
Robbins, Moody Powers Tulsa Women Past Fresno State, 67-61
1/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 22, 2005
Fresno, California - Junior Megan Moody scored 16 points and sophomore Jillian Robbins added 15 points and a game-high 15 rebounds to lead Tulsa past Fresno State, 67-61 in front of 3,925 fans, the fifth-largest crowd in TU history, at the Save Mart Center.
Tulsa (13-4, 5-2 WAC) won its fifth-straight Western Athletic Conference game and tied the school record for consecutive WAC wins. The Golden Hurricane shot 53.3 percent for the game and registered its fifth straight contest of shooting 46-percent or better from the field. Fresno State dropped to 11-6 overall and 3-5 in league games. With its victory, Tulsa moved into sole possession of second place in the WAC standings with SMU's loss to league leader, Louisiana Tech, on Saturday.
TU never trailed in the game, but weathered a long draught from the field that carried over from the first to the second half. Junior Kara Pongonis hit a three-pointer at the 8:06 mark in the first half and put Tulsa ahead, 33-12, but TU did not register another field goal until the 14:43 minute mark of the second half, or a span of 13:32 without a bucket. Fresno State used the TU cold spell to rally from a 23-point deficit and clawed its way back to within one point, 43-42, with 13:52 remaining in the game.
Tulsa maintained its composure and scored jumpers on three straight possessions to increase its lead to seven points. The Bulldogs kept the game close, but they never got any closer than four points. The Hurricane connected on 5-of-8 free throw attempts during the final two minutes to thwart any comeback attempt from Fresno State.
The Bulldogs outscored TU in the second half, 31-30, and out-rebounded the Hurricane, 46-41, but they shot just 27.0 percent in the second half and 28.9 percent for the game. FS remained winless at home in conference play and dropped to 4-5 overall at home.
Along with Moody and Robbins, senior Becky Heidotten contributed a season-high 15 points. TU shot 47.4 percent in the second half, but was just 23.1 percent from behind the three-point line.
Aritta Lane led all scorers with 18 points and grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds, while Mirenda Swearengin came off the bench to finish with 13 points. Amy Parrish and Jasmine Plummer chipped 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Tulsa stormed out of the gates in the first half and built 35-12 lead with 7:42 remaining in the first half. Moody, Heidotten and Robbins all scored nine points in the opening half to lead the Hurricane surge. TU shot 57.7 percent from the field and held Fresno State to a dismal 30.8 percent on its home floor in the first half. Tulsa looked to be running away with the game, but after a media time-out, Fresno State went to its pressure defense and full-court press to generate offense and the moved paid off. The Bulldogs stymied the Hurricane with its pressure and converted the Tulsa miscues into an 18-4 run to end the half and climb back into the game. TU turned the ball over 14 times in the first half to just 10 for Fresno State and led the Bulldogs, 37-30, at intermission.
