LADY BRONCS FALL TO SAINT LOUIS, 77-45
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

MANHATTAN, KS-Saint Louis outscored The University of Texas-Pan American's women's basketball team, 33-6 during the final 13 minutes of the first half and went on to a 77-45 victory over the Lady Broncs in the first game of the Commerce Bank Wildcat Classic at Kansas State's Bramlage Coliseum Friday.

SLU took an early lead. The Lady Broncs cut it to 8-6 on a basket by sophomore forward Stacey Gooden (Houston, TX/J.F. Dobie HS) and came back to within 12-8 on a layup by junior guard Dawnne Cheadle (Roswell, NM/Roswell HS/Seminole State College) before the Billikens began their decisive run.

Saint Louis used a 21-4 run to take a 29-10 lead with 9:36 remaining in the first half, then scored the final 14 points of the half to take a 45-14 lead at the intermission. The Lady Broncs were outscored by a point, 32-31, in the second half.

Junior guard Ashley Roberts (Hernando, MS/Hernando HS/Butler County CC) led the Lady Broncs with 12 points, five assists and three steals. Gooden added eight points, and senior forward Mary DeCock (Lamberton, MN/Red Rock Central HS/Northeast CC) grabbed six rebounds. The Lady Broncs were held to 30.8 per cent from the field.

Forward Angie Lewis had 21 points to lead the Billikens, center Stephanie Solomon added 14 and forward Kirsti Holloway added 13. Saint Louis made 47.1 per cent of their shots from the field, 51.4 per cent in the first half, and outrebounded the Lady Broncs, 49-39.

"We didn't shoot the ball well, and we turned it over too many times in the first half," said UTPA Head Coach DeAnn Craft. "Saint Louis is very talented inside, and their three seniors played very well. They're a good team, and we can't afford to dig a hole for ourselves the way we did. We were tentative at the start. We played much better in the second half, and that was a good sign. We have to come back and play a good game tomorrow against Sac State."

The Lady Broncs suffered their first loss of the season, and fell to 4-1, while the Billikens improved to 5-1. Texas-Pan American will play Sacramento State Saturday afternoon for third place.

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