Jan. 11, 2005
Box Score
The University of Texas - Pan American women's basketball team came away with a three-point victory against a Prairie View A&M team, who was hungry for a victory.
The Lady Broncs defeated the Lady Panthers in a close match-up down the stretch to push PVAMU's losing streak to eight games on the season. The win gives UTPA an 11-0 series record over the Lady Panthers.
The Lady Broncs got off to a good start offensively pushing the ball in the paint to take the quick lead, 4-0, at the 18:04 mark. PVAMU would respond and keep the score close before post player Molly Schamel (Hector NY, Yavapai College) would score inside to push the lead to three, 10-7, with 14:27 on the clock. The Lady Broncs would then continue to build the lead as Tynesha Pierce (Houston, TX/Westfield H.S.) would hit a jumper inside to give them the largest lead on the night at 18-9. Pierce had a stellar performance on the night finishing with 20 points, one shy of her career best.
With 2:17 remaining in first half action, Pierce's defensive effort would get a fast break opportunity followed by a PVAMU foul sending her to the line. Converting on 1-of-2, Pierce would keep the Lady Broncs up by a five-point margin.
"Tynesha is really valuable in games as an offensive threat. Tonight, I was really impressed with the way she committed herself on the other end playing great defense for us throughout the game," said head coach DeAnn Craft.
Two late turnovers as the first half was coming to a close would give the Lady Panthers opportunities on the offensive end where they would convert and go into halftime down by only one, 26-25.
PVAMU was able to keep that momentum coming into the second half and take their first lead of the game after a three-pointer from Ciara Sanders with 15:06 to go in the game. After two more UTPA turnovers Sanders would dish to teammate Karlanda Butler then would score off a steal from behind the arc to give her team the 37-29 advantage.
The Lady Broncs then looked to senior Ashley Roberts (Hernando, MS/Butler County C.C.) to help them swing the game back into their favor. Roberts would hit from beyond the arc at the 11:31 mark to cut the lead to one point. Roberts would finish the game with season-high 17 points, hitting two from behind the arc and grabbing five rebounds.
"Ashley was really our leader out there tonight. I needed someone on this team to take that role of pulling us together, and she was able to do that for us. She was really instrumental in getting us over the slumps in this game," said Craft.
The Broncs would then struggle on the defensive end letting the Lady Panthers build the lead back to five before Pierce would hit one inside and score the and-one to give her team the lead back, 42-41, with 7:34 remaining.
"Tynesha really came up big in the end scoring on fast breaks and not shying away from the defense. She can really keep us in games the way she played tonight," commented Craft.
PVAMU would cut the lead to two points, 57-55, with 14 seconds to play, but Roberts would convert on a free throw to keep the distance and record the win for the Lady Broncs.
The win took the Lady Broncs to 7-9 on the season while PVAMU fells to 1-9.
The team will be back in action on Jan. 19th st the UTPA Fieldhouse against Huston-Tillotson College. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.
UTPA Sports Information
