LADY BRONCS FALL AT SOUTHWEST MISSOURI STATE
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

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.

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