Tulsa Women's Hoops Falls To Illinois

Tulsa had three score in double figures but couldn't come up with enough firepower to earn its first win of the season in the Bahamas.

Friday, November 23rd 2012, 8:12 pm

By: News On 6

Taleya Mayberry scored 30 points, while Kelsee Grovey and Loren McDaniel also scored double-digit points, but it wasn't enough as Tulsa dropped an 82-75 contest to Illinois on Friday afternoon at the Junkanoo Jam in Freeport, Bahamas.

TU fell to 0-4 on the season, while Illinois moved to 3-1 overall.

Mayberry tied her previous personal-best of 30 points, which she set against Oral Roberts on November 16, 2010, and Grovey tallied a new personal-best of 17 points and three steals. McDaniel posted 11 points and a team-best eight rebounds, while McDaniel, Mayberry, Tiffani Couisnard and Mariah Turner each had three assists.

TU shot 35-percent from the field, 29-percent from behind the arc and 63-percent from the free throw line. The Fighting Illini had a 49-44 lead in rebounds, a 9-8 advantage in steals and a 4-3 lead in blocks.

Grovey went 4-for-8 in the first half from behind the arc to have a team-best 12 points, while Mayberry had nine points, but the Fighting Illini took a 38-29 advantage into the break. TU outscored Illinois, 46-44, and had a better shooting percentage in the second frame, but couldn't overcome the first-half deficit to fall, 82-75.

Illinois was led by Karisma Penn with 25 points, while Amber Moore added 21 and Alexis Smith had 15. Ivory Crawford had 12 rebounds, Penn had 11 and Taylor Tuck pulled down 10 boards.

Tulsa will take on Loyola Marymount on Saturday in the second and final game for TU in the Junkanoo Jam. Game time is set for 11:15 a.m.