Nov. 13, 2009

Box Score

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Photo Gallery vs. Indiana

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - - By Joshua R. Wilkins
Graduate Assistant

The University of Memphis came within two minutes of opening their season and the Tiger basketball double-header at FedExForum with a victory.

However, a 78-74 loss to Big Ten opponent Indiana, despite a spirited second-half Tiger comeback, kept them from that goal.

University of Georgia transfer Brittany Carter scored the first five points of the season for a quick 5-0 Tigers' lead. Savannah Ellis would also add a quick put-back to make the score 7-4 in Memphis' favor before Indiana answered with three consecutive Hoosier baskets to take back the lead.

Three buckets by Nicole Dickson, and a 3-pointer by Christine Lesane kept Memphis' offense within striking distance, but IU shot 64 percent (9-14) in the first 8:46 to maintain a 20-17 lead. Over the next six minutes, a 15-4 IU run halted only briefly by Chatia Kelsey's and Ellis' buckets, stretched the Hoosiers' lead to 35-21.

Hoosier shooting, however, would cool off from a high of 72 percent down to 53 percent at the half, while six Carter points and five more from Dickson helped pull Memphis to within 43-37 at the half.

"We got some stops. We got some rebounds and we got some points in transition to help us come back in the late part of the first half," Head Coach Melissa McFerrin said. "They play an intriguing 1-2-2 match-up defense and we were getting stifled a bit when we were seeing it every time down the floor. So we get a stop, get a rebound and then bogged down. When we finally started getting points in transition and doing the stuff we wanted offensively, that made the big difference in the offensive part of our game."

Dickson, a freshman from Greeneville, Tenn., would finish the first half with 13 points for Memphis while Carter had 11 in the opening half. Ellis added seven first-half rebounds. As a team, Memphis would out-rebound Indiana 20-19 in the half.

After both teams traded six points to begin the second half Winchell found Ellis inside for a three-point play to cut the IU lead to 49-46 with 15:36 to play.

Indiana went on 6-0 run to push the lead back out, but with just less than 11 minutes to play, buckets by Taylor Mumphrey and Lesane cut the IU lead back to 56-53.

Dickson would pull Memphis within three points (61-58) once again inside nine minutes with a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Sophomore Ramses Lonlack's free throw at 8:25 and two more Dickson free throws 20 seconds later tied the game at 61.

In the next five minutes, Memphis forced three different ties, only to see IU take the lead back on the next Hoosier possession. Finally, a fast-break deuce by Carter gave Memphis their first lead since 7-6 with 3:44 remaining. U of M outscored IU 26-9 in points off of turnovers in the contest.

After an IU free throw, Lonlack's bucket made the score 71-68, and after Lonlack forced a Hoosier turnover in front of the IU bench, she'd knock down a 16-footer to push the lead to 73-68.

But with 1:51 left, the one senior on the floor would make the difference as IU's Jamie Braun notched a three-point play to pull Indiana within two. Jori Davis would cut it to 73-72 going 1-2 from the charity stripe 20 seconds later. Braun would strike again with 1:02 to play, giving IU the lead back at 74-73 off a drive through the paint.

Carter would answer with a free throw for U of M with 49.7 seconds to play, But Whitney Lindsay registered a three-point play with 38.9 seconds to play to put IU up 77-74. Three-point attempts by both Winchell and Carter would fall short in the final 25 seconds for the Tigers, and Braun would hit another free throw making the final score 78-74.

Dickson, a freshman, would end up with 20 points in the game for the Tigers, while Carter also scored 20. Ellis would finish with 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Winchell had six assists.

"Nicole has been out for the last little bit (she missed the exhibition game). It was the first real live competition she has seen (this season)," McFerrin said. "We missed her in the exhibition game because she knows how to play the game. She has great instincts, she has great hands, she can shoot it, as you can see, she passes really well and understands spacing."

The loss drops Memphis to 0-1 on the young season. The Tigers will be back in action at Elma Roane Fieldhouse on the University of Memphis campus Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. when they host Murray State.