Lescay’s 21 Points Lead Tulsa to 80-68 Win Over Memphis

Wednesday, January 26

Reynolds Center

6:30 pm

Tulsa

13-3,3-2AAC

Memphis

11-6,2-4AAC

Memphis

Tulsa

Photo by: Bill Powell

Lescay’s 21 Points Lead Tulsa to 80-68 Win Over Memphis

1/26/2022 9:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Tulsa moves to 13-3 on the season

GAME BOX SCORE PDF I SEASON STATS

TULSA, OKLA. –– Rebecca Lescay's 21 points led five Tulsa players in double-figures as the Golden Hurricane captured an 80-68 win over the Memphis Tigers in front of 1,068 fans Wednesday night at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.

With the win, Tulsa takes the season series from the Tigers 2-0. The Hurricane improved to 13-3 and 3-2 in the American Athletic Conference, while Memphis fell 11-6 and 2-4 in league play.

The double-digit victory was the 10^th among Tulsa's 13 wins this season after compiling only nine double-figure wins in the previous three seasons.

Lescay converted 10-of-15 field goals on the night, while Maya Mayberry scored 16 points, younger sister Wyvette had 12 points and the freshman tandem of Temira Poindexter and Delanie Crawford each scored 11 points. Imani Jefferson led Memphis with 20 points.

For the game, the Hurricane knocked down 51-percent of its field goals and the nation's second-best three-point shooting team was 44-percent from behind the arc tonight. In the second half, Tulsa shot over 60-percent by making 17-of-28 from the floor and connected on 56-percent from three-point range on 5-of-9.

"Our defense really sparked our offense. We were able to rebound, push the ball and move the ball quite a bit, and then got open shots for each other. We had a very balanced attack offensively. I am very proud of our players for finding each other. Sometimes when those first shots don't fall, one of the things I love about our team is the confidence they have to take that next shot," said Tulsa Head Coach Angie Nelp.

Tulsa took a double-digit lead on its first basket of the second half and extended that advantage to 18 points at the end of three.

The Hurricane increased their nine-point halftime lead to 13 in the first two minutes of the third period for a 41-28 advantage. Memphis cut Tulsa's margin to nine points on a Coriah Beck three-pointer, but Crawford answered with a three of her own the next time down the floor for a 48-36 Hurricane lead with 4:51 remaining in the third stanza.

Tulsa closed out the quarter outscoring the Tigers 14-8 over the final four minutes to take an 18-point lead at 62-44 heading into the final period.

The Hurricane outscored Memphis 30-21 in the third quarter and converted 84.6 percent of its field goals, making 11-of-13, and was 4-of-5 from three-point range for 80 percent.

Memphis scored the first five points of the final period before Maya Mayberry knocked down her third trey of the game to push Tulsa's lead back to 16 at 65-49 with 6:44 remaining.

The Hurricane kept its double-digit lead for all but 0:48 of the final quarter.

Memphis cut its deficit to nine points once in the final 10 minutes when Lanetta Williams' basketball made it a nine-point game at 75-66 with 1:31 left on the game clock. Tulsa got a layup from Lescay and three free throws from Wyvette Mayberry in the final 0:43 for the 12-point victory. The Tigers made six of its final eight field goals to close out the contest.

The two teams combined for just 21 first quarter points as Memphis held an 11-10 lead after one period.

Tulsa scored the first four points of the second quarter to take a 14-11 lead at the 9:15 mark before the Tigers recaptured the lead at 18-16. Crawford's three-pointer with :32 on the clock broke an 18-18 tie as the Hurricane closed out the first half on a 14-5 run for a 32-23 halftime lead. Lescay scored six of Tulsa's final eight points of the half.

At the break, the Hurricane was shooting 42-percent from the field, while holding the Tigers to 35-percent. Both teams converted only 2-of-7 three pointers through the first 20 minutes. Tulsa scored 16 points in the paint and had a 9-2 advantage for fast- break points.

Maya Mayberry had nine points and Lescay totaled eight to lead Tulsa's first-half scorers.

Tulsa will be on the road Saturday in Cincinnati against the Lady Bearcats. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+. Tulsa returns to the Reynolds Center next Wednesday as the Houston Cougars are in two for a 6:30 p.m. game.