For Immediate Release: Saturday, November 22, 2003
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

LADY BRONCS DOWN DAYTON TO WIN RADISSON INN CLASSIC

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.

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