March 7, 2008

Box Score

Notes

Quotes

ORLANDO, Fla. - SMU's all-time leading scorer and rebounder Janielle Dodds poured in a team-high 16 points to lead second-seeded SMU past No. 10 Tulsa, 68-49, in game five of the 2008 Conference USA Women's Basketball Championship at the UCF Arena in Orlando, Fla.

Dodds, a first-team All-Conference USA performer, was 7-of-10 from the field and led a trio of Mustangs in double figures. Brittany Gilliam tallied 13 points and a game-high tying four assists, while Delisha Wills scored 12 and added four rebounds. Sharee Shepherd led the Mustangs with nine rebounds

SMU out-performed the Golden Hurricane in almost every hustle stat, including a 12-0 advantage on fast break points and a 17-8 margin in second chance points. Led by Dodds, the Mustangs also out-scored TU 36-22 in the paint.

SMU held a 31-17 advantage at the break, thanks to a 16-0 run to close the half. Tulsa's Larissa Williams hit a layup to put TU up 17-15 with 8:36 left in the half. SMU responded with a 3-pointer by Brittani Allen to grab the lead it would never again relinquish and then used its pressure defense to force Tulsa into turnovers that led to easy transition baskets.

The Mustangs scored 19 points off of Tulsa's 17 first half turnovers and tallied 10 second chance points and eight fast break points in the half. SMU also dominated the paint in the first stanza, out-scoring the Hurricane 18-8.

SMU's Jillian Samuels hit a 3-pointer to begin the second half to push the SMU run to 19 un-answered points, before Tulsa was able to score on a layup with 19:23 left in the game to end the drought. SMU led by as many as 26 points (66-40) in the second half.

Williams led all scorers with 21 points and pulled down nine rebounds. TU's Chanel Johnson also scored in double digits with 10 and added four rebounds and three blocks.

Tulsa closes out its season with an 11-20 mark. SMU advances to Saturday's first semifinal game with the win. The Mustangs (22-8) will meet the winner of Friday's second game between No. 3 UAB and No. 6 Marshall.