Feb. 2, 2007

Box Score

TULSA, Okla. -- - Tulsa used an 18-2 run over 7:18 to overcome an 11-point deficit in the second half, defeating Southern Miss, 56-52, Friday night.

Southern Miss falls to 11-11 overall and 5-4 in league play, while Tulsa improved to 8-13 and 3-6.

Lauren Pittman led Southern Miss 15 points and Liz Biland added 11 points. Tandem Mays led Tulsa with 12 points with Jillian Robbins adding a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds and Dana Idlet also scored 10 points.

Southern Miss jumped out to an early 4-0 lead with back-to-back baskets by Biland. Both teams struggled through out the half with their shooting.

The Lady Eagles pushed their lead to eight, 13-5, with a -0 run after Tulsa had cut the lead to one. Tulsa then outscored Southern Miss 8-2 to get within two, 15-13. Over the next two minutes, both team squandered scoring opportunities, but Kristin Chaney finally scored off a steal and layup at the 7:16 mark.

Pittman gave Southern Miss a six-point lead at the 4:24 mark, but TU countered with a 5-1 run, cutting the lead to two, 20-18, but the Lady Eagles closed out the half on a 10-2 run fueled by three-point baskets by Chaney and Anna Patterson.

Southern Miss opened up its largest lead, 34-20, at the 17:13 mark. Tulsa then began chipping away at the Golden Eagle lead. Robbins keyed a 14-2 run, giving the Golden Hurricane their first lead of the game off a Teka Williams put back. Tulsa pushed its lead to seven points, 51-44, before Southern Miss tied the game at 51-51 on a 7-0 run with 1:26 to play.

Tulsa took the lead for good on an Idlet break-away layup at the 1:13 mark. Southern Miss had a chance to tie the game, but Amber Eugene missed the first of two free throws.

The Golden Eagles the sent Destanie Gardner to the free throw with 52 seconds remaining, but Gardner miss both, allowing the Golden Eagles another chance to regain the lead, but the Tulsa defense forced another Lady Eagle turnover with 17 seconds to go in the game.

Once again, Idlet got loose again for another basket with only six-seconds and give Tulsa a three-point lead. Southern Miss was able to get one last shot, but Reed's three-pointer was off the mark and Mays ended the game with a free throw with .01 second.

Southern Miss finished the game 50 rebounds, but shot a dismal 36.1 percent for the game. Tulsa scored 25 points off 25 Lady Eagle turnovers.

The Golden Eagles return home to host SMU on Sunday in a 2 p.m., game, beginning a three-game homestand.