Rice University
Memphis
Women's Hoops Loses Tight Affair at Memphis
2/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2008
Rice at Memphis Final Book (PDF) 
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis used an 11-0 run late in the second half keyed by Jessica Hall's seven consecutive points as the Rice women's basketball team lost a 62-56 decision to Memphis Sunday afternoon at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse on the U-of-M campus.
Rice (8-14, 1-7 C-USA) held a 44-39 lead with 8:01 remaining after Tiffany Loggins connected on a jumper from Tara Watts.
The Tigers (6-15, 3-5 C-USA) responded with Hall's seven straight points over a 1:14 span to grab a 46-44 advantage at the 6:02 mark. Hall paced Memphis scoring 16 of her team-best 18 points in the second half.
Paris Leonard added a transition lay-up and Ashley Thornton tacked on a pair of free throws to complete the run and give Memphis a 50-44 edge with 5:25 left. Leonard finished with 10 points, while Aroha Jennings added 15 points aided by an 8-for-8 effort at the free throw line for the Tigers.
Rice trimmed the deficit down to three points on two separate occasions. The last came on a Kadie Riverin jumper to make it 54-51 with 1:51 to go. Riverin headlined the Owls with 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting and played the entire 40 minutes.
Hall drained a three-pointer on the next possession as the shot clock was running down to push the Memphis lead back to 57-51. The Tigers converted on 5-of-6 at the foul line in the final 51 seconds to secure the 62-56 win.
Loggins fired in 15 points behind a trio of three-balls as the Houston native strung together her third consecutive double figure outing off the bench. Maudess Fulton added 10 points and nine rebounds, while Tara Watts dished out a career-best six assists to go along with 10 rebounds.
The Owls were playing their eighth consecutive game without leading scorer and rebounder Valeriya Berezhynska.
"We didn't make the plays that we needed to on both sides of the court down the stretch," assistant coach Kim Austin-Mbadinga Nzamba said. "The first half of the conference season is behind us. We have to get back to work in practice this week to get ready for SMU and Tulsa."
Rice leapt out to an early 19-12 advantage at the 8:32 mark of the opening half behind a strong defensive effort. Riverin scored eight of the Owls first 19 points.
Memphis charged back with 14 of the next 19 points to take a 24-22 edge capped by a LaToya Bullard lay-up with 59 seconds on the clock. Loggins buried a three-pointer at the top of the key eight seconds later as the Owls carried a 25-24 edge going into the locker room.
Rice plays host to SMU and its "Think Pink" game Thursday at Houston Baptist's Sharp Gym. Tip-off is slated for 7pm against the Mustangs and a portion of the ticket sales will be donated to the Susan G. Komen foundation for breast cancer research.
KTRU 91.7 FM and RiceOwls.com will carry all of the action live from HBU with a 6:45pm CT pregame show.
