Lauren Trantham led ETSU in scoring and rebounding, chipping in 11 points and pulling down 11 boards, but ETSU fell at Memphis, 90-48 in the first round of the Lady Tiger Classic.

The Lady Tigers didnt hold anything back in the win, including the press, as the Memphis defense picked away at ETSU, forcing 24 turnovers. The Lady Tigers scored 13 straight points to open the game before allowing ETSU their first basket with 15:56 left to play in the first half. Memphis forced six ETSU turnovers in the first five minutes of the game, scoring on all but one of the steals.

Memphis took a comfortable, 49-19, lead into the lockerroom at the half after shooting 57.6 percent from the field and hitting 4-of-5 shots from three-point land. ETSU scored just 19 points off a 29-percent shooting effort from the field. The 19 points scored in the half was a record low for the 16-year-old Lady Tiger Classic. The previous record was 20 points by UT-Martin four years ago in the 1996 tournament.

The Lady Tigers came out strong in the second half, shooting 53.6 percent from the field. Memphis outscored ETSU, 41-29, in the second half and outrebounded them, 42-27, for the game. Memphis emptied the bench during the game as all players played at least 10 minutes, including freshmen Danielle Barnard, Princess Swilley and Kaneshi Hart.

Barnard was the only Lady Tiger to not score in the game, but she did record two rebounds and two assists. Swilley scored seven points while Hart added five points.

Six Lady Tigers scored in double digits, led by junior Malissa Bushs 15 points. Bush was 5-of-6 from both the field and the free-throw line, and also totaled four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Also scoring in double digits for Memphis were Malissa Abraham and Lauren Jackson who both scored 11 points, and Tiffany Adkins, Shannon Hamp and Kelly Herron who all scored 10 points. Jackson and Tiffany Collins both led the squad in assists with seven apiece. Collins and Jackson were the starting guards for Memphis, and between the two of them, they totaled 14 assists and just one turnover. Hamp led the way in rebounding, pulling down nine boards.

Lauren Trantham led ETSU in scoring and rebounding, chipping in 11 points and pulling down 11 boards. Racquel Ellis was the only other Lady Buc to score in double digits with 10 points.

The Lady Tigers will face either Texas A&M or Northwestern State in the championship game at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Texas A&M was leading NSU, 36-32, at the half. ETSU will play in the consolation at 3 p.m. on Saturday.