Jan. 28, 2006
Against Southern Miss
This is the 39th meeting between the two programs and Memphis leads the overall series 23-15, including the last two games. Memphis downed Southern Miss last year 80-51. But this is a significantly different USM roster than last year. Last year's leading USM scorer, Shannon Stueber, is out for the year with an injury, which has meant the USM freshmen have had to step up. The youngsters have four freshmen leading the team in scoring, led by 14.6 ppg from forward Kendra Reed. Junior college transfer Kristin Chaney leads the USM offense with 93 assists, adding 4.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.
This will be the first of two meetings between the two East Division foes, with Memphis playing in Hattiesburg Feb. 17th.
UCF Shuts Down Lady Tiger Top Two Scorers
For the first time this season, both Devin Necaise and Paris Leonard, Memphis' top two leading scorers, were kept out of double-digit points. Necaise has scored double digit points in 11 of Memphis' 18 games, while Leonard has hit doubles in 12 of 18 games. Prior to Friday night, Leonard had scored in double-digit points in six straight games, all of the C-USA season.
Butler Moves Into Career Top 10 in Assists
Senior point guard Tamika Butler moved up to eighth in school career history in assists with six against UCF, Friday night. Butler now has 330 career assists, just six shy of Tiffany Collins (1997-2001). After catching Collins, Butler will need 15 more assists to catch Connie Hibbler (1984-88).
Butler already ranks in the career top 10 in three-point field goals made (fourth with 113) and three-point field goals attempted (fourth with 356).
Leonard in Single Season Top 10 in Threes
With her team-high 34 three-point field goals, freshman Paris Leonard is now tied with Kitty Allen for three-point field goals in a single season. Allen knocked down 34 treys in 1995-96. Leonard, who went without a three on Friday night on four attempts, would need two more to move into a tie for the eighth-best single season mark. Teammate Tamika Butler knocked down 36 treys in 2003-04, while Kelly Herron also knocked down 36 in 1997-98.
Bradley's Block Party
Senior Jamie Bradley became the first Lady Tiger since Melissa Abraham in 2001 to post a block in five straight games. Bradley now has posted at least one block in the last seven straight games and has 23 blocks on the season through the first 18 games. If she can get seven more blocks before the end of the season, she will be the first Lady Tiger to stuff 30 or more blocks since Raven Rogers did it in 2003-04.
Trying to Avoid 0-for-January
The Lady Tigers are already through 18 games, and with just two wins in the first 18 games, Memphis is running out of chances to avoid some dubious school history. The longest losing streak in Memphis history was 12 games, from 1989-90. Memphis has now lost 10 straight games and has not won a game since Dec. 7th. Sunday against Southern Miss will be Memphis' last time to get a win during the month of January.
Some Freshman Scoring History
Lady Tiger freshman Paris Leonard (Memphis, Tenn./Wooddale HS) is writing some freshman history. Leonard is the first Memphis freshman since Tamika Whitmore in 1995-96 to average double-digit scoring. Leonard leads the team with 14.3 ppg heading into the Southern Miss game. Whitmore averaged 10.4 ppg. Following her Lady Tiger career, she was drafted by the New York Liberty in the third round.
