Tigers Women's Basketball Defeats Harding In Thursday's Exhibition

Thursday, November 5

Memphis, Tenn.

7 pm CT

University of Memphis

Harding University

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Tigers Women's Basketball Defeats Harding In Thursday's Exhibition

Nov 05, 2015 | Women's Basketball

Williams, Rowser each score 14 points in the 82-51 win.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Junior Taylor Williams and redshirt junior Mooriah Rowser each netted 14 points to lift the University of Memphis women's basketball squad to an 82-51 exhibition game victory over Harding at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse Thursday.

The exhibition was the Tigers' final tune-up before their Nov. 13 season opener against Jacksonville State. Memphis hosts its season opener at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. (CT).

Junior college transfer Loysha Morris and senior Brianna Wright each added 12 points. Wright netted her 12 points on a perfect shooting night, going 4-of-4 from the field and free throw line.

Thursday's exhibition was going to be a little different with the NCAA rules changes in the women's game with four quarters instead of two halves, but it got even a little more odd before the game tipped. Tigers head coach Melissa McFerrin missed the contest due to an illness. Associate head coach Darryl Brown filled in for the ailing McFerrin.

Memphis led 16-8 after the first period, but took control of the contest in the second quarter. The Tigers improved their field goal percentage from 25 percent to 57.1 percent and also turned up the pressure on the defensive end. Memphis forced 12 Lady Bisons' turnovers in the second period while committing only eight. The Tigers were solid from the free throw line in the first two periods, hitting 10-of-12 from the stripe.

The Tigers extended their lead in the third period, turning a 36-17 halftime advantage into a 52-27 lead by the quarter's media timeout at the 4:40 mark. Memphis built its lead with solid rebounding and excellent free throw shooting. The Tigers out-rebounded Harding 11-7 and shot a perfect 9-of-9 from the charity stripe in the period. Memphis led 60-35 after three quarters.

In the final period, Memphis maintained its 25-point plus lead on its way to the win.

Both teams started the exhibition contest cold. Memphis and Harding each hit only four field goals and shot under 30 percent from the field in the opening period. The Tigers grabbed the lead on 7-of-8 free throw shooting and forcing seven Harding miscues in the quarter.

For the game, Memphis shot 40.7 percent from the floor and held Harding to 35.8 percent from the field. The Tigers defense held the visitors from Searcy, Ark., to only 21.4 percent from the arc (6-of-28). Last season, Harding hit over 40 percent from the arc.

The Tigers out-rebounded Harding 40-29 and forced 31 Lady Bisons' turnovers.

Senior Asianna Fuqua-Bey led Memphis with six rebounds. Senior Ariel Hearn added nine points, four rebounds and four assists. Freshman Milena Bajic had a team-high three steals.

A'ndrea Haney scored a team-high 13 points for Harding. Sydney Layrock added 11 points, and Falan Miller grabbed a game-best seven rebounds.