Feb. 26, 2006
Box Score
DALLAS (SMU) - The SMU women's basketball team could not contain the hot shooting hands of the Tulane Green Wave and lost its final regular-season game by the score of 71-58 at Moody Coliseum on the campus of SMU. With the loss, SMU falls to 15-13 overall (10-6 C-USA) while Tulane improves to 14-11 overall (8-8 C-USA). Fortunately, SMU retains the third seed of next week's Conference USA tournament - thanks to a Southern Miss loss at Marshall on Sunday.
In the first half, SMU came out cold and lackluster, missing shots from the perimeter as well as in the paint. Tulane, though, could not miss, shooting 46% from the field during the first 20 minutes of the game. The Mustangs were outrebounded, 20-10, in the first half. SMU tried to cut into Tulane's biggest lead of 16 points (29-13) at the 7:08 mark and had limited success. Tulane seemed to have an answer for every Mustang basket. SMU fought back and cut the lead to eight points at halftime, 34-26.
The second half looked remarkably similar to the first half with SMU struggling to hit its shots while Tulane scored with ease. SMU did get to within five points (38-33) at the 15:20 mark, but Jennifer Sands scored three baskets in the next three minutes to build up a Green Wave cushion. SMU shot a bit better in the second half (35.9%) but Tulane scorched the net, shooting 57.1% from the field.
Four Tulane players turned in double-digit scoring numbers, led by Dallas native Jennifer Sands with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Alendra Brown added 16 points. Ashley Langford established a Tulane school-record with 14 assists. SMU's Katie Gross led the team with 12 points with Janielle Dodds and Kendall Shead contributed 10 points each.
SMU will serve as host for the 2006 Conference USA women's basketball tournament, March 2-5. The Mustangs, recipient of a first-round bye, will play their first game Friday night at 8:30 p.m. against the winner of Thursday night's No. 6 seed Tulane-No. 11 seed UCF game.
