Tulsa Falls to #24 UCF in The American Quarterfinals, 69-54

Tuesday, March 8

Fort Worth, Texas

12:00 pm

Tulsa

UCF

Photo by: Bill Powell

Tulsa Falls to #24 UCF in The American Quarterfinals, 69-54

3/8/2022 2:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Final Stats in PDF
Season Stats in PDF

Wyvette Mayberry, Temira Poindexter and Maddie Bittle all scored in double figures but it wasn't enough as Tulsa dropped a 69-54 decision to #24 ranked and No. 1 seeded UCF on Tuesday afternoon in the American Athletic Conference Championship Quarterfinals at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. The Golden Hurricane fell to 16-10 on the season, while the Knights moved to 23-3 overall.

"I am super proud of my team and the fight they had today," Head Coach Angie Nelp said. "We had some great individual performances, but what doesn't show up on the stat sheet is the heart of these young women and all they give when they step out on the court. I'm proud of who they are and how they play when they step out on the court."

Wyvette Mayberry had a team-best 13 points while Poindexter added 12 points and Bittle scored 11. Bittle and Rebecca Lescay each had six assists, Delanie Crawford and Jessika Evans both had six rebounds, and Bittle had four steals.

UCF had a 50-20 lead in rebounds, a 22-17 advantage in assists and a 5-4 edge in blocks, while both teams had 10 steals. TU was called for 23 fouls, while UCF was called for 10.

Tulsa shot 38.8 percent from the field, 35.3 percent from behind the arc and were 4-of-4 from the free throw line, while UCF was 44.3 percent from the field, 27.3 percent from behind the arc and were 12-of-20 for 60 percent from the line.

Both teams started the game cold, as Tulsa was 0-of-3 from the field, all of which were behind the arc, and UCF was 1-of-8 for just 12.5 percent from the field and 1-of-2 from the line, giving the Knights a 4-0 lead at the 6:56 mark.

Poindexter scored three-straight trey's to tie the game at 9-9 with 3:03 to play in the first frame. A three-pointer from Crawford put Tulsa up 12-11, with just 1:06 to play, but a layup by Brittney Smith put the Knights ahead, 13-12, at the end of the quarter.

Jessika Evans made TU's first jumper in the paint, as the Hurricane's first six baskets were three-pointers, for a 23-20 scoring edge by UCF at the 4:43 mark. The Knights then took a 30-24 advantage into halftime.

A three-pointer by both Poindexter and Bittle tied up the game, 30-30, with 9:12 on the clock in the third quarter, forcing a timeout by UCF. A layup by Lescay just 27 seconds later put TU up 32-30, but the Knights climbed to a six-point advantage, 40-34, with 6:15 to play in the frame and then owned a 13-point advantage, 55-42, at the end of the quarter.

UCF climbed to a 17-point lead twice in the final frame and claimed the 15 point victory.

The Knights were led by Masseny Kaba with 23 points, while Brittney Smith added 19 and Diamond Battles had 11. Smith also had 11 rebounds for a double-double, while Tay Sanders pulled down 10 boards.