Great Moments in Conference USA Women's Basketball History
Tulsa wins Conference USA Championship in First Season
2005-06 Season
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| Jillian Robbins |
With a number of new teams strengthening Conference USA prior to the start of the 2005-06 season, it was an exciting year for many of the teams in the league. First-year member Tulsa, which joined C-USA from the Western Athletic Conference, was picked to finish fifth in the league by a preseason vote of the conference coaches.
Returning four starters, including eventual All-America selection Jillian Robbins, and with the addition of first-year head coach Charlene Thomas-Swinson, the Golden Hurricane had high expectations for their program. But nothing could have compared to what they experienced in a true "season of firsts."
Thomas-Swinson led Tulsa through uncharted waters for much of the season as the Golden Hurricane made their first season in Conference USA one for the ages. They captured the league's regular-season title with a two-game lead over second-place Rice and then completed the sweep by defeating the Owls in the Conference USA Championship game in Dallas.
Tulsa was rewarded with its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance that season and entered postseason play having won five consecutive games and an impressive 14 out of its last 15, including conference tournament games. What was more impressive is that the Golden Hurricane were in just their 10th season of women's basketball in school history.
"Making the NCAA Tournament is very special," Thomas-Swinson said following the tournament announcement. "With the goals that they set for themselves and with their two previous NIT appearances, they wanted to get to that threshold to make a mark in the NCAA. The biggest thing I have been encouraging them with is to make sure that they are not just participants, but they are really looking to contend and gain some respect."
And contend the Golden Hurricane did. As a No. 12 seed at the Rosemont, Ill., first and second rounds site hosted by DePaul University, Tulsa knocked off N.C. State, 71-61, in the tournament's first round. A story by the Associated Press filed shortly after the game lauded Tulsa's accomplishments that came with a new head coach, a new offense (the triangle) and a new defense (match-up zone) that followed back-to-back 19-win seasons and WNIT appearances.
The Golden Hurricane's stellar season came to an end in the NCAA Tournament second round as fourth-seed and host school DePaul claimed a 71-67 win to advance to the San Antonio regional. Tulsa built an 11-point lead in the second half, but the Blue Demons rallied from a six-point deficit with 1:59 left to claim the victory.
The Golden Hurricane ended their season at 26-6 and set a strong standard for excellence for their young program.
Tulsa is one of the 12 league teams coming to Orlando, Fla., March 6-9 for the Conference USA women's basketball tournament. Single-game and session ticket packages are now available. Call the UCFAA Ticket Sales Office at (407) 823-1000 to order or for more information.
Tulsa is one of the 12 league teams coming to Orlando, Fla., March 6-9 for the Conference USA women's basketball tournament. Single-game and session ticket packages are now available. Call the UCFAA Ticket Sales Office at 407-823-1000. For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
Tulane earns three-peat in 1996-97 for first time in school history
1996-97 Season
Under the direction of third-year head coach Lisa Stockton and coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, the Tulane Green Wave had high expectations entering the 1996-97 campaign.
Some of that excitement was dampened by a 27-point loss at Louisiana Tech in the first round of the Preseason NIT. That early exit left the Green Wave with a 10-day break before their next game with New Orleans. Not only did Tulane win that game, the Green Wave went on to win 10 consecutive contests, including the Malibu Classic Championship and a win against Van Chancellor's talented Ole Miss squad.
Tulane lost just two games in Conference USA play en route to finishing 12-2 in the league and capturing the regular season crown in a three-way tie with Louisville and Memphis. It was just the second year of existence for Conference USA and would begin a stretch where the Green Wave won either the regular season or conference championship in four of five years.
Seeded second in the league tournament due to losing the tiebreaker with Memphis, Tulane toppled 10th-seeded St. Louis 75-57 in the quarterfinals before edging third-seeded Louisville 76-74 to reach the finals.
In the C-USA Championship game, the Green Wave exploded for a 76-53 win against Marquette in Chicago's Alumni Hall on the campus of DePaul University. It marked the first time in league history that a team had won both the regular season and tournament championships in the same year.
Tulane was sent to the nation's capital to participate in the NCAA Tournament First and Second Rounds, hosted by George Washington University. The Green Wave pulled off a narrow 72-69 win against UC-Santa Barbara in the first round before falling to the host team, 81-67 in the second round.
Despite failing to advance to the Sweet Sixteen, Tulane concluded the best season in Conference USA history. Their +14.1 scoring advantage against opponents still ranks as the fourth-widest season scoring margin in league annals.
Tulane is one of the 12 league teams coming to Orlando, Fla., March 6-9 for the Conference USA women's basketball tournament. Single-game and session ticket packages are now available. Call the UCFAA Ticket Sales Office at 407-823-1000. For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
No. 11-seed UAB shocks two top six seeds in 2000 NCAA Tournament to advance to West Region Semifinal
March, 2000
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| Deanna Jackson |
Earning an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament after falling short to Tulane, 73-70, two weeks prior in the Conference USA Tournament, UAB was granted a No. 11 seed and headed to Eugene, Ore., to face host team and sixth-seeded Oregon on its home court.
It marked the first-NCAA Tournament appearance for the Blazers since the 1993-94 season and was a remarkable accomplishment, considering they entered the C-USA Tournament as an eight-seed.
A first-round win seemed promising for No. 20/25 Oregon, which, according to an Associated Press article, had lobbied hard to host the first two rounds that season after opening NCAA play on the road for each of the past five seasons.
In the opening game, Deanna Jackson, who would go on to be the second-leading scorer in UAB school history and the 2000-01 Conference USA Player of the Year, scored 27 of her career-high 32 points in the first half to allow the Blazers to hang tough with the Ducks on their home floor.
UAB held a slim 39-38 advantage at the halftime intermission, before Oregon began employing a stifling man-to-man defense in the second half that held Jackson without a field-goal attempt until her lay-up with 6:19 to go gave the Blazers a 61-58 lead. After trading baskets, the Ducks went ahead 70-68 with 22.3 seconds remaining in regulation after Angelia Wolvert scored on a put-back and was fouled by the Blazers while making the basket.
She missed the free throw and Jackson knotted the score with a basket at the other end with 5.7 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime.
After Holly Holland's two charity shots with 33 seconds remaining in overtime gave UAB a 78-76 lead, Oregon answered with a three-pointer at the other end to put the Ducks back in front at 79-78 with 16.7 seconds left. OU's defense broke down at the other end and, Shaquetta Rhodes' put-back with 3 seconds left allowed the Blazers to edge the Ducks, 80-79.
The victory marked the first-ever NCAA Tournament win for UAB.
In the second round, the Blazers squared off with a high-powered Mississippi State squad, which was seeded third in the region. The Bulldogs featured a number of offensive threats including LaToya Thomas, who was the nation's top scoring freshman at nearly 21 points per game heading into postseason play.
The Bulldogs, under the direction of longtime head coach Sharon Fanning, stifled Jackson for much of the game, but Holland - who had nailed clutch free-throws in the team's win against Oregon - scored a season-high tying 21 points as UAB built a big second half-lead and hung on for a 78-72 upset of Mississippi State.
"This team is so amazing," Holland told reporters after the game. "I'm so glad to be a part of it."
With the win, the Blazers had done the improbably as they became the lowest seed to advance to the NCAA Round of 16 since 1996, when 11th-seeded Stephen F. Austin and 12th-seeded San Antonio each advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. It marked the first time in the then-five-year history of Conference USA that a league team advanced past the tournament's first two rounds.
The victory allowed UAB to travel to Portland, Ore., to face second-seeded Rutgers and legendary head coach C. Vivian Stringer. The Scarlet Knights held the Blazers' offense in check for most of the game, limiting Jackson to just 17 points and not allowing any other scoring threats to emerge.
Rutgers broke out to an 8-0 advantage and led by as many as 11 points in the first half. UAB pulled to within one point, 44-43, with 7:18 left, but the Scarlet Knights closed out the game on a 16-2 run to take a 60-45 win and advance to the West Regional final.
"UAB just wouldn't go away," Stringer told reporters. "It was a great test of our poise. It is a real tribute to our team that when we needed to execute, we did."
It marked the most successful season in school for the Blazers, who had lost in the first round in their only other NCAA Tournament appearance.
"What a great ride," UAB coach Jeannie Milling said. "I really hate for it to come to an end."
UAB is one of the 12 league teams coming to Orlando, Fla., March 6-9 for the Conference USA women's basketball tournament. Single-game and session ticket packages are now available. Call the UCFAA Ticket Sales Office at 407-823-1000. For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
--Memphis advances to WNIT Final Four in 1998-99
March, 1999
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| Tamika Whitmore |
Heading into the 1998-99 season, Memphis had established itself as somewhat of a dynasty in Conference USA women's basketball. In the previous three years of the league's existence, the Lady Tigers captured either the conference's regular season or tournament crown, including winning both in the 1997-98 campaign.
The year proved to be somewhat of a roller coaster for the Lady Tigers, under the direction of Joye Lee-McNelis. The Knights lost in the second round of the Conference USA Tournament after finishing second in the National Division with a 10-6 league mark. At that time, C-USA still used a divisional format, which ceased following the 2000-01 season.
The Lady Tigers headed back to Memphis from New Orleans, site of the league tournament, with a 19-9 overall record hoping to make their fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
Memphis players, coaches and staff gathered to watch the NCAA Tournament selection show and were disappointed when they did not see their names among the field of 64 for the "Big Dance." But the Lady Tigers were rewarded for their strong season with a berth in the Women's National Invitation Tournament.
Hosting the first round in front of a packed house in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse, Memphis notched its first postseason victory since the 1995 campaign with a 71-61 win against Middle Tennessee State. Senior Tamika Whitmore, who would finish her career as the school's second-leading scorer all-time, finished with a game-high 29 points and 13 rebound to lead the Lady Tigers. The win helped Memphis notch its fifth consecutive 20-win season.
Next up for the Lady Tigers was another in-state opponent in UT-Martin. Memphis was looking to notch back-to-back victories for the first time in over a month. Thanks to four Lady Tigers scoring in double figures, including Whitmore's 25 and Kelly Herron's 18, Memphis posted an 87-73 win. That victory made the Lady Tigers the league's only team to advance past the second round of a postseason tournament in the 1998-99 campaign.
In the quarterfinals of the WNIT against Arkansas State, Whitmore had the game of her life, scoring a school-record 45 points in a 101-86 win. Despite being triple-teamed by the Lady Indians for much of the game, Whitmore proved unstoppable. Whitmore, a 2006 WNBA All-Star, is currently in her ninth season playing professional basketball, now with the Indiana Fever. Her ability to be prolific in postseason has continued over from her collegiate days to her professional career, as she holds the WNBA's single-game playoff scoring record of 41 points.
After hosting the first three rounds of the WNIT, Memphis was sent on the road to the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisc., to meet the Wisconsin Badgers in the semifinal. The Lady Tigers dropped a 92-73 decision to the Badgers in front of more than 6,000 fans. In fact, Memphis had never won a game played in front of 2,000 or more fans in its school history. Whitmore was held to 22 points in the final game.
Memphis is one of the 12 league teams coming to Orlando, Fla., March 6-9 for the Conference USA women's basketball tournament. Single-game and session ticket packages are now available. Call the UCFAA Ticket Sales Office at 407-823-1000. For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.