LADY BRONCS FALL TO ARKANSAS STATE

EDINBURG, TX-Midway through the first half, The University of Texas-Pan American women’s basketball team had their game against Arkansas State exactly where they wanted it.

Then the Lady Indians outscored UTPA, 17-2, took a 41-25 halftime lead, and went on to a 97-70 win at the UTPA Fieldhouse Monday night.

UTPA rallied a couple of times in the second half. Senior forward Kelli Kreuser’s (Bettendorf, IA/Davenport North HS/Truman State University) three-pointer, a jump shot by junior forward Naima Williams (Houston, TX/Clear Brook HS) and a pair of free throws by freshman guard Nikki Hitchens (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado HS) produced a 7-0 run that reduced a 74-54 lead to 74-61. But UTPA was unable to get any closer than 13 points.

ASU’s trio of Z Humphries, Jolie McKeirnan and Chiquita Tucker combined for 40 points and 29 rebounds, and the Lady Indians outrebounded the Lady Broncs, 45-23. UTPA made 50 per cent of their shots from the field in the second half, but only 22.2 per cent in the first half.

The Lady Broncs made 50 per cent of their shots from beyond the three-point arc. Kreuser made three of five and freshman guard Anette Johansen connected on five of her 11 attempts. UTPA also made 20 of 22 free throws for 90.9 per cent, the best single-game mark in school history. But the Lady Indians converted 29 of 32 shots from the charity stripe for 90.6 per cent.

“In a game like this, the team that rebounds better and plays better defense is usually going to win,” said UTPA Head Coach Karin Nicholls. “We allowed 97 points, which is too many. They were able to set the tempo of the game with their offensive rebounding, and their ability to outrebound us by as much as they did was a huge factor in the outcome. When we were able to force them t take a bad shot, they were able to get the offensive rebound. We have to improve on defense and also in rebounding.”

Kreuser paced the Lady Broncs with 21 points and eight assists. Johansen had a career high for the second consecutive game, adding 19 points.

Rae-Anne Smith led six players in double figures for Arkansas State with 21 points. Amber Abraham added 18, Tucker had 15, McKeirnan 13, and Humphries and Casie Lowman had 12 each.

The Lady Broncs fell to 6-18 with the defeat, while ASU improved to 9-13. UTPA will return to action when they visit Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.

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