Guard Taylor Barnes (left) brings the ball up court. Barnes was the team’s leading returning scorer from last season.
The University of Memphis women’s basketball defeated the USF Bulls in Tampa 47-40, extending their win streak to three games. The team went on a 13-0 run to close out the game and overcome a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter. They’ve now improved their record in American Athletic Conference play to 3-2 and have an overall season record of 8-10.
Guard Gazmyne Herndon (no.3) plays tight defense against UAB. Herndon led the team with 15 points.
The Tigers’ defense makes them competitive
As has been the story of their last few games, the Tigers’ defense has been their best quality. They’ve held their opponents to just 50 or fewer points in the last four contests. A big reason for them to hold their recent opposition to so little production is because of their ability to force their opponents into mistakes and bad shots.
This game against the Bulls may have been their best performance yet. They had 10 steals, seven blocks, forced 22Â turnovers, and the Bulls shot just 31.1 percent from the field. They were even better defending the Bulls three-point shooting and only allowed them to complete just one of their 20 attempts. That was good for just 5 percent.
The only player for USF to score double-digits was forward Tamara Henshaw, who had 16 points, but she had two turnovers of her own.
Missed opportunities prevent the Tigers’ from sustaining success
Their offense was as bad as their defense was good. They shot just 32.7 from the field and 14.3 percent from the three- point line. They scored only 22 of their 65 possessions, making it difficult to get the game going. Their two double-digit scorers were guard Taylor Barnes and forward Alana Davis, who both had 11 points.
Their best scoring option was from the free throw line where they don’t normally play their best. They shot a season-high 80 percent from the free throw line, including six clutch late-game shots to close out the game.
Jamirah Shutes has to become more consistent before she can be the face of the team
Shutes was the team’s highest touted recruit to come to the team in recent years, but at times her aggressiveness has been a curse. Prior to this game, she led the team with 13.7 points per game but shoots 33 percent from the field. In this game, she scored nine points on a four for 15 shooting night, good for just 26.6 percent from the field.
Even with her shooting mishaps, she is still one of the most productive players on the court. Her four assists against the Bulls led the team, and the layup she took late in the game helped the team regain the lead after she converted her foul shot as well.
Head coach Melissa McFerrin said throughout the season she has faith in the freshmen to turn it around, but with only 11 games left in the season, she has to do better so the team can reach their full potential.
The Tigers have been looking more like a true contender in the AAC, especially with these last few games. Their next game is against a 12-7 Cincinnati team, which will be a test to see just how well this surging Tigers’ team can play.
