Tulsa Women's Hoops Fall to SMU

NewsOn6.com and TulsaHurricane.com

TULSA, OK -- Larrissa Williams had a team-leading 16 points and ReShawndra Jackson had a season-best 15 points, but it wasn't enough as Tulsa dropped a 65-53 decision to SMU on Sunday afternoon at the Donald W. Reynolds Center. TU fell to 5-11 on the season and 1-3 in Conference USA, while the Mustangs moved to 10-7 overall and 3-1 in the league.

Williams also posted a team-best nine rebounds, Chanel Johnson pulled down seven boards and Tiffani Couisnard had five rebounds. Tatum Beer totaled four assists and Kara Vaughan had four steals in the contest.

Jackson hit two three-pointers to start the game for Tulsa that spurred the Golden Hurricane to a game-high 12-point lead, 17-5, with 13:30 on the clock. The Mustangs, however, battled back with a 12-2 run of their own to pull to within two with a little over nine minutes to play in the half. TU and SMU battled back and fourth down the court, but TU held on to a five-point lead, 33-28, to head into the break.

SMU quickly tied the contest at 33-all, the only tied score of the game and then continued on to take the lead off a 15-0 run to start the second half. Tulsa pulled to within two, 48-46, with nine minutes to play in the contest, but SMU broke away with a 17-5 run to earn a game-high 14-point lead, 65-51, with just 10 seconds to play. Williams hit a last-second layup to end the contest, 65-53.

Brittany Gilliam had a team-leading 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Alice Severin scored 13, and LaShandra Hill and Christine Elliott had 10 points apiece. Gilliam, Hill and Haley Day all had four assists, while Gilliam, Day and Elliott all had one block.

SMU out-rebound TU, 37-35, and out-shot Tulsa from the field, from behind the arc and the free throw line. The Golden Hurricane, however, had 17 turnovers to their 20.

Tulsa will return to action on Thursday, January 22nd against UTEP.