Nov. 7, 2003
New Page 1
EDINBURG, TX-It took The University of Texas-Pan American
women's basketball team nearly ten minutes to get things going in their
exhibition game against the Houston Elite at the UTPA Fieldhouse Friday evening.
The Lady Broncs used a 23-9 run midway through the first half, took a 35-22 lead
with 4:32 remaining before halftime, and went on to a 91-77 victory.
Texas-Pan American used a diverse attack
to break the game open. Junior guard Dawnne Cheadle (Roswell, NM/Roswell
HS/Seminole State College) hit a jumper and a layup to give the Lady Broncs the
lead for good, junior guard Ashley Roberts (Hernando, MS/MS/Hernando HS/Butler
County CC) made a jumper, and senior forward Mary DeCock (Lamberton, MN/Red Rock
Central HS/Northeast CC) made a jump shot and a three-pointer as UTPA took a
13-point lead.
The Lady Broncs made 41.3 per cent of
their shots in first half en route to a 46-35 halftime advantage. Texas-Pan
American finished the game making 41.6 per cent of their shots from the field,
grabbing 27 offensive rebounds, and forcing 32 turnovers with 24 steals.
Junior center Molly Schamel (Hector,
NY/Watkins Glen HS/Yavapai College) led UTPA with 20 points. Cheadle and DeCock
added 13 points apiece, while junior guard Arrita Oler (Rialto, CA/Eisenhower
HS/Coffeyville CC) had 11. Schamel had eight rebounds and Oler and freshman
forward MaHogany Daniel (Corpus Christi, TX/Carroll HS) grabbed six apiece as
the Lady Broncs outrebounded the Elite, 52-48. Mercy Okorie led the Elite with
25 points, LaQuita Delasbour added 17, and Andi Jackson had 14.
"For a first outing, it was fine, we used
our defensive intensity to get the type of tempo we wanted," said UTPA Head
Coach DeAnn Craft. "We used our quickness, we grabbed 27 offensive rebounds and
we got some conversions out of those opportunities. We had good play at the
point, and there was a six minute stretch that was just the Molly Schamel show.
We could have done a better job containing some of their players, but we can use
this to get a chance to see what we can work on."
The exhibition game was the only one of
the season for the Lady Broncs. They will open the season at the Air Force
Classic in two weeks.
