TU Women Down UCF In C-USA Title, Punch Ticket To Big Dance

Taleya Mayberry of The Golden Hurricane won four games in four days to earn a trip to the Big Dance. <br />

Saturday, March 16th 2013, 10:32 pm

By: News On 6

TU Women Down UCF In C-USA Title, Punch Ticket To Big Dance

For the second time in four months, the Central Florida Knights invaded Tulsa with hopes of beating the Golden Hurricane and claiming the Conference USA Championship.

And for the second time in four months, TU stood its ground and claimed its title.

Senior Taleya Mayberry scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the TU women took down UCF 75-66, winning their fourth game in four days and earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Golden Hurricane (17-16) entered the C-USA Tournament as the No. 6 seed, but played their best basketball of the season when it mattered the most. Tulsa shot 48.3 percent from the floor depite hitting just 2-15 (13.3 percent) from 3-point range.

UCF's (16-18) run to the championship game was just as unlikely, as the eighth-seeded Knights had to upset No. 1 seed SMU along with No. 5 seed UTEP just to get here. The Knights shot 38.5 percent from the floor and turned the ball over 16 times.

This is the just the second time the TU women have earned their way to the Big Dance, joining the 2006 team.

Ashley Clark added 14 points and five boards for the Hurricane, who led this game from start to finish. TU outscored the Knights 41-34 in the first half and 34-32 in the second half, withstanding a ferocious UCF rally late in the game.

The Hurricane will now wait to hear their seed during the selection show Monday evening. Joining TU will be the ORU women, who beat Sam Houston St. Saturday to claim the Southland's auto-bid to the NCAA Tournament.