Jan. 22, 2004
SPRINGFIELD, MO-Southwest Missouri State jumped in front
early and cruised to a 69-34 victory over The University of Texas-Pan American's
women's basketball team at the John Q. Hammons Student Center Thursday evening.
The Lady Bears were on fire in the first half. They scored
the first 13 points of the game and opened up a 22-2 lead before the Lady Broncs
scored their second basket midway through the first half. Freshman forward Azzie Knox (Temple, TX/Temple HS) scored the first UTPA basket on a fast break jumper
at the 14:37 mark, and freshman forward MaHogany Daniel (Corpus Christi, TX/Mary
Carroll HS) connected midway through the first half. Junior guard Dawnne Cheadle
(Roswell, NM/Roswell HS/Seminole State College) added a jumper a minute and a
half later, and junior guard Arrita Oler (Rialto, CA/Eisenhower HS/Coffeyville
CC) hit a jumper and added another free throw later. SMS led at halftime, 44-9.
Texas-Pan American played SMSU even in the second half, with
each team scoring 25 points. A 12-4 run during the first part of the second half
allowed the Lady Broncs to cut their deficit to 24 points at 54-30. Senior
forward Mary DeCock (Lamberton, MN/Red Rock Central HS/Northeast CC) began the
run with a three-pointer, sophomore forward Stacey Gooden (Houston, TX/J.F.
Dobie HS) continued it with a jump shot, and senior guard Amanda Carlow (Pine
Ridge, SD/ Rapid City CHS/Northeast CC) capped it with back-to-back treys. That
was as close as UTPA got in the second half.
Carlow led Texas-Pan American with nine points. She was three
for eight from three-point range, and added three assists. Oler added eight
points, while DeCock had six points and five rebounds. The Lady Broncs had 18
steals and forced 24 turnovers, with Knox and Oler leading the way with four
steals each. Texas-Pan American made 13 of 62 shots from the field for 21 per
cent, and was outrebounded, 46-28.
Nicole Lehman led the Lady Bears with 10 points, while Jenni
Lingor, Morgan Hohenberger and Stephanie Busbey added nine apiece. SMSU made 19
of 39 field goals for 48.7 per cent, and hit 13 of 20 from beyond three-point
range for 65 per cent. The Lady Bears came into the game leading the nation in
three-point field goal percentage, making 45.4 per cent, and rank second with
8l7 three-pointers per game.
"They're the number one team in the nation in three-point
shooting and they're playing on their home court, and they have a lot of
weapons," said UTPA Head Coach DeAnn Craft. "They were absolutely remarkable in
the first 12 minutes of the game. We got some good looks, but we did not get our
shots to go down. I was very pleased with the way we played in the second half,
that's one of the finest halves that we have had all season. We did a super job
in the second half. Amanda Carlow played one of the finest halves I've seen her
play in two years, Mary was solid,, and Arrita played very well defensively. I'm
proud of our kids, they didn't quit."
The Lady Broncs fell to 7-11 with the defeat, while Southwest
Missouri State improved to 14-1 and won their 12th game in succession since
losing to Georgia Tech 78-71 in the finals of the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam
November 29th.
Texas-Pan American will return to action when they host Texas
A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m.
