|
Women's Basketball Team Holds On For 73-67 Win Over Memphis
Jan. 29, 2006
Box Score
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Southern Miss connected on four-of-six free throws in the last 30 seconds, giving the Lady Eagles a 73-67 win over Memphis in Conference USA action on Sunday. Southern Miss improved to 9-11 and 6-3 in the league, while Memphis fell to 2-17 and remained winless in league play. Ashley Boehnel led all scorers with 19 points, followed by Liz Biland who recorded her first double-double of the season with a season-high 18 points and 12 rebounds and Amber Eugene added 14 points. Paris Leonard led Memphis with 16 points with three other players, Megan Gooch, Devin Necaise and Tamika Butler, scoring 10 points each. "I thought we grew up a lot from our UAB game," Head Coach Joye Lee-McNelis said. "Today, we did the little things to help us win. We were able to block out and get the rebound; we took care of the basketball down the stretch. "We did get a little out of sync offensively, but we were able to hit the shots in the end," McNelis continued. "I am very proud of Liz Biland. She really stepped up today. She gave us a great effort on both ends. She carried us in the first half, and she came up big in the second half with her rebounding." Southern Miss opened the game, scoring the first four points and eventually increased its lead to 11, 17-6 by the 12:42 mark. Memphis then went on an 8-3 run to get within six, 20-14. USM was able to push its lead back to eight after Biland and Eugene both scored field goals. Memphis continued to stay close, getting offense from Montgomery on offensive rebounds and put backs, cutting the Eagles' lead to four, 28-24. Southern Miss then scored five unanswered points, pushing its lead to nine following a Biland basket and Boehnel three-pointer at the 3:39 mark. "Ashley Boehnel did a great job of keeping her composure today," McNelis said. "Playing against a former teammate has a lot of emotion attachment, but Boehnel came out and played well." Memphis answered with six straight points, cutting the lead again to four, 33-29. Eugene and Biland put the Eagles up eight again with 2:00 remaining before the half, but Memphis closed out the half with an 8-3 run. USM led 40-36. Boehnel gave Southern Miss a seven-point lead, 45-38, before Memphis came roaring back with a 10-0 run to take its first lead of the game, 48-45. Southern Miss used a 6-2 run to regain the lead, 51-50, with 14:11 remaining. For there, the game was tied on two occasions and with the game tied 55-55, Southern Miss pushed its lead back to six points, 61-55, when Kendra Reed scored her first points of the game. Memphis then scored eight unanswered points, taking a 63-61 lead with 5:47 remaining. The game was tied for the last time at 67-67, when Ashley Harrell hit a jumper with 2:20 remaining to give Southern Miss the lead for good. Kristin Chaney and Boehnel combined for four of six free throws in the last 30 seconds to seal the win. Southern Miss returns to host on UCF on Feb 4, in a 4 p.m., contest.
|
