Nov. 10, 2006

Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Memphis women's basketball team (0-1) got down 10-0 early, and the hole was too much for the young team to dig its way back out of, as Memphis fell 83-60 on the first day of the University of Louisville tournament.

Winthrop went inside early and often, while Memphis settled for five straight shots from three-point range, missing all five and getting down 10-0 when Big South pre-season all-conference honoree Ashley Fann knocked down a jumper with 16:14 remaining in the first half.

Memphis would continue to try to knock down shots from the outside, before Savage finally got the team to settle down and start working the ball in to the post. The Lady Tigers had cut the lead to 32-23 with 6:40 to play before Memphis missed four straight shots from three-point range again, allowing the Eagles to push the lead back to double-digits and head in to the locker room trailing 45-30 after getting out-rebounded 23-16 in the opening 20 minutes. Memphis had also been whistled for 11 fouls and the Eagles converted 11 of 14 attempts from the free-throw line.

"I thought we did a lot of things well," head coach Blair Savage-Lansden said. "But anytime you attempt more shots from three-point range than from the field, you're not going to win many games. We got better each possession out there, and that's what we have to do - get better each possession and each game."

Memphis came out of the locker room and again got off to a slow start, forcing coach Savage to burn two quick time outs before the 16 minute media timeout in the second half as Memphis trailed by as many as 19 before her second timeout.

The timeouts seemed to work, as Devin Necaise knocked down eight straight points to cut the deficit to 57-45 with 12:33 remaining in the game. But Memphis was forced in to five turnovers in the next seven possessions, while Winthrop went back inside to pull back ahead 67-50.

While the Lady Tigers adjusted to the Winthrop inside game, the post players began kicking out to the Eagle shooters, as three straight three-point field goals helped Winthrop snap any Memphis momentum, closing out the game by the final 83-60 margin.

Necaise led Memphis with 18 points, but hit 7-of-18 from the floor and 4-of-14 from three-point range. Freshman Alysse Davis had her first career double-digit scoring night, finishing with 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting. Ashley Thornton led Memphis with eight rebounds and four steals, but battled foul trouble all throughout the first half. Freshman Se'erra Fantroy added nine points, six assists and five rebounds in her first collegiate game at the point.

"I felt like our young players did some good things," Savage said. "Ashley Thornton gave us good energy and we have to learn to play with that even when she's not in the game."

All five Winthrop starters scored double-digits, led by 17 from Shelly Hankins and 16y from Franchesca Davenport. Ashley Fann added a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds despite missing most of the first half due to foul trouble.

Memphis will face Dayton, Saturday, at 5 p.m. (ET), while Winthrop will face host Louisville at 7:30 p.m. (ET), Saturday.