Nov. 28, 2009

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Complete Game Notes in PDF Format

` The University of Memphis women's basketball team (3-2) has bounced back from an 0-2 start with three straight wins. The Tigers will face an Eastern Washington squad with an identical 3-2 record, Sunday, at noon (PT) in the second round of the University of Washington Husky Classic.

The Tigers helped make some history in their last outing, a 98-83 victory over Sacramento State. Sophomore guard Brittany Carter set a Memphis and Conference USA single game record with 49 points in the win. She was also Memphis' leading rebounder with 11 rebounds, for her second career double-double.

Memphis shot 51.4 percent in the win, the highest team shooting percentage of the season, also scoring a season-high 98 points in the win. The 98 points was the highest team total since a 101-point Tiger win over Arkansas State in 1998-99 in the WNIT, the same game where Tamika Whitmore set the school scoring record of 45 points that Carter broke Friday afternoon.

Facing a team that loved to get out in transition and shoot threes, Memphis was willing to play the same pace as the Hornets of Sacramento State, and the Tigers' success against Sacramento State's transition defense forced the Hornets to go zone. After a 43-41 halftime lead, the Tigers weathered two late game ties and out-scored Sacramento State 55-42 in the second half to get their third straight win of the season. The three-game win streak is the longest for Memphis since the team defeated Ohio, Wichita State and Stephen F. Austin last season in games 3-5. The Tigers haven't won four straight games since the opening of the 2004-05 season when the Tigers beat Mercer, Lipscomb, Centenary and UL Monroe. That Tiger squad won five of their first six games, and finished the season with a 13-16 overall record.

The Series History
This is the second-ever meeting between Memphis and Eastern Washington. Memphis leads the overall series, having defeated the Eagles, 98-60 back in the 1988-89 season in the opening round of the Tiger Classic in Memphis. Memphis is 3-1 all-time against the current Big Sky membership.

Carter Sets A Conference USA and Memphis Single Game Record
Sophomore guard Brittany Carter scored 49 points and shot 16-for-28 from the field while setting a Conference USA and a University of Memphis single game record, finishing with 49 points. The scoring mark broke the Memphis scoring record of 45 points that was set by WNBA player Tamika Whitmore on Mar. 17, 1999 in a win over Arkansas State in the WNIT.

Carter also led the team with 11 rebounds for her second career double-double in the Sacramento State victory.

Carter was 15-for-20 from the free-throw line. The 15 made free-throws was the second-best single game performance in school history and the 20 free-throw attempts was also the second-best mark in school history.

More Balance in the Scoring Column
In each of the first five games of the season, the Tigers have had eight or more different players score. In three of the five games, every Tiger who played has scored.

Mumphrey Just Short of First Career Double-Double
Junior forward Taylor Mumphrey finished the Sacramento State game with eight points and nine rebounds, just short of her first career double-double at Memphis. The nine rebounds was a career high and she grabbed five boards off the offensive glass.

Bullard Makes First Start of Season
Memphis changed up the starting line-up Friday afternoon for the first time this season. Senior guard LaToya Bullard started at the point, while Alex Winchell moved over to start at the two spot. The remaining three starting spots remained the same with Brittany Carter, Taylor Mumphrey and Savannah Ellis.

Tigers Shore It Up at the Free-Throw Line
Memphis has struggled at the free-throw line at points in this season. But in the final 3:32 of the game last night, the Tigers were 9-for-12 from the stripe. Brittany Carter accounted for 10 of those free-throw attempts, hitting nine down the stretch. Taylor Mumphrey earned a pair of free-throws, but missed both. Mumphrey did get the ball back off an offensive rebound following her second miss though, to push Memphis ahead by five at 86-81.