Memphis Tigers struggle to stop Tulane Green Wave鈥檚 fireworks in 80-44 loss
MEMPHIS, Tenn. 鈥� To start off the New Year, the Memphis Tigers (2-6, 0-3 American Athletic Conference) battled the Tulane Green Wave (5-3, 1-2 AAC), in their first of two meetings this season.
While these teams have gotten very familiar with one another, Tulane seemed to get the better of Memphis and walked away with the 80-44 victory.
The first quarter began in unideal fashion for the Tigers, particularly because of their offensive struggles. After opening the game with a Madison Griggs three-pointer, they then went on to miss 11 of their next 14 shots. They ended the quarter shooting 27 percent from the field.
It also did not help that they committed seven turnovers. Tulane would capitalize on those mistakes and scored six points off of them. Things did not get easier in the start of the second quarter either. By the media timeout with 5:54 left, Tulane started the quarter shooting 75 percent from the field, including two three-pointers.
The Tigers on the other hand had been shooting 28.6 percent to that point. Though the Tigers鈥� did get more shots go in after the timeout, it still was not enough to close the gap between the two teams.
Lanetta Williams led the team with four points in the quarter. She ended the game with 14 points, a steal and a block. She was the only Tiger who scored double digits. Of her game, Williams said that it did not feel like much because of her team鈥檚 tough loss.
鈥淢y shots were going in, but I felt like I could have done more,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淭he individual accolades do not really matter if you lose. I just want us to win and I know that I can be a huge part of that and that is what I plan on doing.鈥�
Entering halftime, the Green Wave were up 39-18.
The only positive of the quarter was that the Tigers鈥� had been able to see players like Keke Hunter and En鈥橠ya Buford had gotten their first action of the season.
In getting to have more players available, Tigers鈥� head coach, Melissa McFerrin, said that it was important to get them up to speed.
鈥淭hey came into this game four months behind,鈥� McFerrin said. 鈥淲ith them getting healthy, it will help to knock off some fatigue and allow some starters to get breaks.鈥�
In hopes of getting a boost from her team, McFerrin put Williams in in place of leading scorer, Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu to start the second half.
In Saturday鈥檚 game, Mendjiadeu had her worst performance of the season, five points, one assist, eight rebounds and a turnover.
They scored a game-best, 14 points in the quarter and boosted their field goal percentage to 41.7 percent. Though their offense played better, it was not enough to slow down Tulane. In the third, Tulane put together their best scoring output of the game up to that point, shooting 64.3 percent from the field.
Williams talked about what it was like guarding them and said that their performance went against what Memphis had worked on.
鈥淚t was frustrating because I knew that we could stop them,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淲hen we got down, it made me question what more could I have done to help. These are the games you go back and watch film and see what were the little things that we could have improved on.鈥�
After yet another dominating showing in the fourth quarter, the Green Wave officially earned their first victory in American athletic Conference play.
With her Tigers鈥� currently on a four-game losing, McFerrin said that to overcome it, they had to understand that college hoops are a marathon, not a sprint.
鈥淥ur team needs to understand that college basketball is about the grind,鈥� McFerrin said. 鈥淵ou have to grind every minute of the game. Sometimes I think we want to throw a knockout punch in the first minute, but we have to be willing to grind. Even if things are not going our way, we have to keep giving a good effort and have a good mentality through the course of 40 minutes.鈥�
They will get that opportunity next weekend against Tulsa.
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