Dec. 28, 2007

Complete Box Score in PDF Format

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Delores Hughley hit a three-point field goal with seven seconds left on the shot clock and 8.3 seconds left on the game clock to push Arkansas-Pine Bluff to a 99-97 win over Memphis, Friday night. Hughley finished with 24 points, five of them in the overtime session in the win.

"If we hit our free-throws, we win this game," Head Coach Blair Savage-Lansden said. "We shot 66.7 percent from the free-throw line. We shoot 70 percent and we win."

Memphis had opportunities down the stretch, but hit 4-of-8 free-throws in overtime after hitting 72.5 percent of their shots from the line in regulation.

The UAPB comeback started with the game seemingly in the Lady Tigers' hands. Memphis led 84-70 with 4:45 remaining when Arica Green took over for the Lady Golden Lions. Green hit a three with four minutes remaining to cut the deficit to single digits at 84-75. The Golden Lions immediately pressed and forced a pair of Lady Tiger turnovers. Green hit one lay-up off a turnover, then hit another to answer a Paris Leonard lay-up. Green scored 15 of her 19 points in the under four minute mark in the game, including a lay-up to tie the game at 89-89 with 41 seconds remaining.

The Golden Lions then pressed the in-bounds play, fouling Latoya Bullard, who stepped to the line and hit the second of two free-throws to give Memphis a 90-89 lead with eight seconds left. Candace Ward then drove the length of the court with Lady Tiger guard Jessica Hall right on her hip. When she reached the UAPB end of the floor, Hall was whistled for a foul, and Ward hit the first free-throw to tie the game at 90-90. She missed the second free-throw and Memphis was unable to get a good look at the basket before the end of regulation.

The Lady Tigers had battled back in to the game following a 43-35 first half deficit that might have been larger if not for Latoya Bullard's eight first half points and seven first half steals. But the Memphis defense kept giving up lay-ups on the other end, with UAPB shooting 53.1 percent in the opening 20 minutes. Bullard finished with 17 points, six assists and eight steals in 41 minutes of play. Paris Leonard led Memphis with 22 points, adding four rebound s and an assist in 37 minutes, while Jessica Jackson added a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds in the loss. Jessica Hall scored 19 points with three assists, three steals and six rebounds in the loss, while Ashley Thornton added 12 points before fouling out with 4:28 to play.

"I thought Latoya Bullard's perimeter defense was big for us, especially in the opening half," Savage said. "We just have to learn to close out games and not let calls we are or are not getting dictate our level of intensity."

Four Golden Lions scored double-digits, led by Hughley's 24. Green added 19 points, while Tashayla Jackson added 15 points and three steals. Ava Walters finished with 10 points and eight rebounds in UAPB's second win of the season.

Memphis will close out its non-conference schedule with a Jan. 4th game against Toledo at FedExForum. That game will be played at 7 p.m. That game will also be the `Take a Kid to the Game' promotion where all kids receive free admission with a paying adult.