MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined by grit and rebounding, the Charlotte 49ers edged the Memphis Tigers 61-58 in a women’s college basketball game Saturday at FedExForum.

The American Athletic Conference contest, played before a crowd of 1,111, saw Charlotte improve to 12-13 overall, while Memphis fell to 8-16.

The game’s pivotal sequence came in the final minute with Charlotte clinging to a one-point lead. After Memphis’ Daejah Richmond converted two free throws to give the Tigers a 58-56 edge with 1:06 remaining, Charlotte’s Princess Anderson answered with a clutch pull-up jumper off a Tanajah Hayes assist to tie the game at 58 with 45 seconds left.

On the ensuing Memphis possession, Richmond drove but missed a layup, and Charlotte’s Asianae Nicholson secured the critical defensive rebound. Following a Charlotte timeout, the 49ers ran a play that resulted in Janavia Gage being fouled on a layup attempt with six seconds left. Gage missed the first free throw but calmly sank the second to put Charlotte ahead 59-58.

Memphis called a timeout to advance the ball, but their final attempt, a three-point shot by Cori Allen, was blocked by Charlotte’s Imani Smith. Zoe Best grabbed the rebound for Charlotte and was fouled, sealing the victory with two final free throws.

The most important part of the game was Charlotte’s dominant performance on the glass, particularly from Nicholson. The 5-foot-10 forward from South Euclid, Ohio, controlled the paint with a monumental 17 rebounds to go with 10 points, anchoring a Charlotte defense that held Memphis to just 28 points in the paint compared to their own 40. Nicholson’s work on the boards, including a game-high five offensive rebounds, stifled Memphis’ second-chance opportunities and was the cornerstone of the victory.

Charlotte’s offense was carried by Anderson, who scored a game-high 23 points and added two blocks. Hayes orchestrated the attack with 10 assists and six points. For Memphis, Richmond led all scorers with 21 points, while Paris Gaines pulled down 12 rebounds.

The game was a low-scoring, physical affair from the outset. Charlotte led 16-11 after a first quarter and took a 26-24 advantage into halftime. The third quarter proved decisive, as Charlotte erupted for 25 points to build a 51-47 lead heading into the final period, a cushion that proved just enough to survive Memphis’ late push.

Charlotte’s win marked its second straight victory and completed a regular-season sweep of Memphis, having also defeated the Tigers 62-49 on Dec. 31. The 49ers have now won three of their last four games.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Memphis entered the game with a slight 51.30 percent probability to win.

Charlotte next hosts Temple on Tuesday. Memphis travels to face Tulane on Thursday.