Nov. 22, 2003
New Page 1
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO-For the first time in eight years, The
University of Texas-Pan American's women's basketball team is off to a 2-0
start.
The Lady Broncs got a critical jump shot
from junior guard Ashley Roberts (Hernando, MS/Hernando HS/Butler County CC)
with 3:48 remaining to break a 53-all tie and went on to a 63-57 victory over
Dayton in the championship game of the Radisson Inn Classic at Clune Arena
Saturday evening. The victory allowed UTPA to begin the season by winning their
first two games for the first time since the 1995-96 season.
Roberts' jumper ignited a 6-0 run that
gave the Lady Broncs a lead they would never relinquish. Freshman forward Kristi Dudley (Cedar Hill, TX/Cedar Hill HS) followed with another jump shot, then
Roberts connected again to give Texas-Pan American a 59-53 lead with 1:50
remaining. Angela Cape and Amber Peterink scored for Dayton, but Roberts and
sophomore forward Stacey Gooden (Houston, TX/J.F. Dobie HS) each hit a pair of
free throws in the final minute to keep the Lady Broncs in the lead.
Roberts, who led Texas-Pan American with
20 points, was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. Dudley added 12
points and 11 rebounds. Junior center Molly Schamel (Hector, NY/Watkins Glen
HS/Yavapai HS), who scored nine points and hit the game-winning basket Friday
night, was named to the All-Tournament Team. Jennifer Strong had 21 points for
Dayton, and Emily Williams added 15.
"That's one of the best defensive
performances I've seen by a team with as many newcomers as we have early in the
season," said UTPA Head Coach DeAnn Craft, who became the first Lady Bronc head
coach to record victories in her first two games as head coach. "I thought we
played a brilliant defensive game. Ashley, Kristi and Molly all did a great job
for us, and it was a great effort overall."
The Lady Broncs improved to 2-0 with the
victory, while Dayton fell to 1-1. Texas-Pan American will return to action when
they host Texas A&M-International in the first game of a doubleheader at 5:00
p.m. Tuesday evening. The game precedes the Broncs' game against the Dustdevils.
