Tulsa Comes Up Short Against Memphis, 59-50

Saturday, January 23

Memphis, Tenn.

1:00 pm

Tulsa

4-6,3-6AAC

Memphis

4-7,2-4AAC

Tulsa

Memphis

Tulsa Comes Up Short Against Memphis, 59-50

1/23/2021 3:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Maddie Bittle tied her career-best of 16 points, while Maya Mayberry added 13 points, but it wasn't enough as Tulsa dropped a 59-50 decision to Memphis on Saturday afternoon at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse in Memphis, Tenn. The Golden Hurricane fell to 4-6 on the season and 3-6 in American Athletic Conference play, while the Tigers moved to 4-7 overall and 2-4 in the league.

"Not only did Maddie Bittle score for us, but she defended as well," Tulsa Head Coach Matilda Mossman said. "Kudos for her because she came in and gave us lift, and that is what we need from guys coming off the bench."

Jessika Evans added six points, while both Rebecca Lescay and Elin Hrafnkelsdottir recorded four points. Wyvette Mayberry had a team-best six assists, while Maya Mayberry had four steals.

Tulsa had a 14-6 lead in steals, forcing 22 turnovers, while Memphis had a 52-33 lead in rebounds, a 13-12 edge in assists and a 6-2 lead in blocks.

Tulsa jumped out to a 6-0 lead at the 8:45 mark of the first quarter and climbed to a 10-2 advantage with 7:46 on the clock, forcing the Tigers to call a timeout. The Golden Hurricane continued to inch ahead, owning a first-quarter best 13-point advantage on a last-second layup by Elin Hrafnkelsdottir to end the frame up 23-10. TU had a 9-2 advantage in turnovers forced in the first 10 minutes, and shot a solid 52.9-percent compared to the Tigers' 30.8-percent.

The Tigers outscored the Hurricane, 23-8, in the second quarter. TU was just 3-of-18 from the field, including 0-of-6 from behind the arc, but hit both free throw attempts, while UM hit 50-perent of their field goal attempts, including 60-percent from three-point range, and was 6-of-10 from the line in the frame.

The Hurricane missed their first six shot attempts as Memphis started the second quarter with a 7-0 run, holding Tulsa scoreless until Bittle recorded a layup at the 6:31 mark. TU didn't score again until Maya Mayberry scored on a pair of free throws made with just 47-seconds on the clock. Hrafnkelsdottir scored a layup with 16-seconds to play and Destiny Johnson hit a jumper in the paint at the buzzer to pull Tulsa to within two, 33-31, at halftime.

"Maya Mayberry missed almost all of the second quarter and Wyvette Mayberry went out with two fouls at the 7:18 mark, and at that time we were up 13," Mossman said. "We weren't efficient on offense. I felt really good when we got within two because they had had all the momentum, but then we came out in the third quarter and neither team could get anything going. The fourth quarter it was too much inside, and we are undersized, and they are hard to get around."

Tulsa battled to tie the score at 38-all at the 6:49 mark of the third quarter, but missed their next nine shot attempts. Memphis climbed to a 44-38 advantage with 3:00 to play in the frame, but Bittle hit a huge three with 1:36 on the clock to pull TU to within three (44-41) with one quarter to play.

Memphis had a 15-9 scoring edge in the fourth quarter, including a game-best nine-point lead for the final score.

The Tigers were led by Alana Davis with 16 points, while Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu with 10 points and 14 rebounds.

Tulsa will return to action on Saturday, January 30 against ECU. Game time is set for 2:30 pm in Greenville, N.C.