Three-Pointers Lead TU Women Past SMU

Teanna Reid led five players in double-figures with a career-high 19 points as Tulsa scored a 74-58 win over SMU Wednesday night in front of 784 fans at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.

Mariah Turner added 13 points and 8 rebounds, while Ashley Clark and Kelsee Grovey totaled 11 points each and Ashley Hughes had 10 points. Clark also had her fifth double-digit rebounding game with 10 rebounds. SMU freshman Alicia Froling had a double-double with a season-high of 21 points and tied her season-best with 15 rebounds.

Three-point shooting was a key in the victory as the Hurricane connected on 54.5-percent behind the arch, converting 12-of-22 treys. SMU hit just 2-of-18 from three-point range, but outscored the Hurricane in the paint by two points, 26-24. In the second half, though, Tulsa scored 16 points in the paint to SMU's eight.

Reid connected on 7-of-8 field goals, including 5-of-6 from three-point range for her career-best point total.

“Teanna kept us in the game. No question. Everything she threw up was going in, which was a good thing because even though we were shooting a good percentage in the first half and they weren't, we only had a two-point lead going into half, mainly because of the way we were turning the ball over in the back court,” said Head Coach Matilda Mossman. “When we put Ashley in during the first half, it was because we needed rebounding. We know she can score. Her charge was to go in and get rebounds. I like the way she was aggressive in going to the boards, as well as Mariah was really tough tonight.”

“I think we are better than we showed today. I am pleased with the fact that we won, especially the last seven minutes of the game, but I think we have our best in front of us,” added Mossman.

SMU scored the first two baskets in the second-half to overcome a two-point halftime deficit and pushed its lead to three points when Kiara Perry's jumper put the Mustangs ahead 37-34 at the 16:52 mark. Clark's layup began an 8-1 run that put Tulsa ahead 45-38 with 13:55 left on the clock. An SMU three-pointer by Morgan Bolton cut the lead to four points at the 13:40 mark, but that's as close as the score would get.

Clark's jumper at the 11:32 mark gave Tulsa's its first double-digit lead at 54-43. The Hurricane built the lead to 19 points, 74-55, with just over one minute to play. Bolton's second three-pointer of the game for SMU made the final score 74-58.

Tulsa jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the first 2:30 of the game and increased that lead to eight points at 14-6 two minutes later. The Mustangs out-scored Tulsa 8-1 in the next three minutes to cut the Hurricane lead to 15-14 at the 12:57 mark.

SMU knotted the score at 18-18 with 10:46 remaining in the first half and took its first lead at the 8:06 mark at 20-18, as 4:12 ticked off the clock between Hurricane baskets. Turner's layup tied the game at 20-20 with 7:43 left on the clock. Grovey's three-pointer at the 5:17 mark put Tulsa ahead by four points at 28-24. SMU scored the next four points to tie the score before another Grovey trey put the Hurricane ahead 31-29 heading into halftime.

In the first half, Tulsa shot 41.4-percent from the field and 6-of-12 from three-point range for 50-percent, while the Mustangs shot 29.7-percent on 11-of-37 from the field and was 0-of-7 from behind the arch.

Reid led the Hurricane attack in the first half with 11 points in 13 minutes, while Grovey tallied eight first-half points. SMU's Alicia Froling had a first-half double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Tulsa will be back at the Reynolds Center this Saturday, Jan. 31, to host the UCF Knights in a 3:00 p.m. game. The game follows the Tulsa-USF men's game that will be played beginning at 12 noon.