NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans women's basketball program outlasted visiting Tougaloo College 91-69 during its Holiday Hoops contest at the Lakefront Arena on Saturday afternoon.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: New Orleans – 91, Tougaloo – 69
LOCATION: Lakefront Arena – New Orleans, La.
RECORDS: New Orleans (3-5/0-0), Tougaloo (3-10/0-0)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Rehema Franklin led the charge for the Privateers once again as she finished with a career-high 23 points to go with seven rebounds, four steals and two assists.
- Asia Woods recorded a double-double with 13 points and a career-best 14 rebounds.
- Traya Bruce returned to the starting lineup for the second consecutive game and rewarded the squad with 13 points (11 of which came in the first half).
- The Privateers got on the board first off a three-pointer from Bruce to open the game with a 3-0 lead. The group would extend it to 7-4, four minutes into the first before Tougaloo started to respond.
- The Bulldogs went on a 14-2 run over the following four minutes to take a take an early 16-8 lead in the first.
- New Orleans wasn't having that as the group went on a 9-0 run of its own over the last two minutes of the opening quarter to retake a 19-16 lead.
- Tougaloo wasn't going away easy as the visiting squad won the second quarter by a 16-11 margin to take a two-point lead into the half, 32-30.
- A visit to the locker room was all the Privateers needed to get back on the same page.
- The score was tied at 39 with 5:42 left in the third. That is when the Privateers went on a 19-9 charge over the remaining portion of the period to go back ahead again, this time by a 58-48 margin.
- The strong play would continue for the rest of the game as the Privateers outscored the Bulldogs in the final quarter by 12 points to pull away with a 91-69 victory. New Orleans shot 55 percent from the field during the final frame.
FOR THE FOES
- Tougaloo had four athletes finish in double-digit scoring, with Amari Pittman leading the scoring attack with 20 points on 7-of-18 shooting to go with three assists and three steals.
- Karry Callahan chipped in 15 points while Jelisa Smith added 13 and Tania Young recorded 10.
NOTEWORTHY
- The win was the first in program history for the Privateers over the Bulldogs as the two programs entered today's contest with Tougaloo holding a 2-0 series advantage.
- It was the first meeting between New Orleans and Tougaloo since Jan. 29, 1977.
- Both teams ran at a fast pace as New Orleans and Tougaloo combined for 148 field goals which means the two teams averaged 3.7 shots attempted per each minute of play.
- New Orleans forced 27 turnovers off of 19 steals. The group also recorded eight blocks.
FROM COACH DAVENPORT
- "We did not come out and play our game in the first half. I though we gave up way too many transition points and I didn't feel we played with the intensity or with smartness on offense. We know for us to get into a press that we have to make baskets and I think in the first half especially, we allowed their 1-3-1 zone to force us to shoot too many outside shots. So at halftime I challenged them to be more aggressive and to attack the basket and as a result we were in the bonus before the media timeout in the third quarter. It's always tough to play these types of games as we get focused after finals. There was some good but there are some things we have to work on before Albiliene Christian on Wednesday."
UP NEXT
New Orleans will take to the road for its first Southland Conference matchup of the season against Abilene Christian on Wednesday, Dec. 18. Tipoff is set for 5:30 PM CST.
