MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Missouri State trailed Memphis by two points with less than six minutes to play Friday before a 7-0 run by the home team helped the Tigers secure a 69-60 victory at Elma Roane Fieldhouse in the season opener for both teams.
Memphis took a 62-53 lead with 3:03 remaining on a basket by Taylor Barnes, and the Lady Bears got no closer than five points from there, pulling within 65-60 on
Danielle Gitzen's layup with 55 seconds left before the Tigers knocked down four foul shots in the final minute to seal the win.
Liza Fruendt scored a team-high 17 points for the Lady Bears, and freshman
Alexa Willard added 13 in a game that featured 16 lead changes. Memphis led 17-14 after one quarter and 27-26 at halftime.
MSU's final lead of the contest came late in the third quarter after
Lee Ann Polowy buried a 3-pointer and freshman
Brice Calip followed with a traditional 3-point play for a 42-40 advantage with 2:49 remaining. Memphis countered with a triple just over a minute later for a 43-42 lead that held up for the rest of the contest.
Willard added a team-high six rebounds, though Memphis led 33-25 in that category, and the Lady Bears shot .379 (22-58) overall compared to .574 (27-47) for the Tigers. Gitzen handed out four assists, and Fruendt matched a career high with three steals.
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The Lady Bears will play at Kansas at 2 p.m. Sunday inside Allen Fieldhouse.
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