For Immediate Release: Tuesday, January 14, 2003
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

LADY BRONCS DOWN PRAIRIE VIEW, 64-48

EDINBURG, TX-Apparently, the UTPA Fieldhouse was just what the doctor ordered for The University of Texas-Pan American women's basketball team Tuesday evening.

The Lady Broncs made 53.8 per cent of their shots from the field in the first half, took a 36-13 halftime lead, and went on to a 64-48 victory over Prairie View A&M.

Texas-Pan American was dominant in the first half, holding the Lady Panthers to just 14.3 per cent from the field on four of 28 shots. They scored the first seven points of the game, led 15-2 midway through the opening half, and extended their lead to 23 points on a three-pointer by junior guard Amanda Carlow (Pine Ridge, SD/Rapid City CHS/ Northeast CC) with 2:25 remaining.

Carlow scored 16 points in the first half, making six of ten shots from the field and adding four rebounds and three assists.

The Lady Broncs extended their lead to 25 points in the second half before PVAMU came back. The Lady Panthers outscored UT Pan American, 16-0 during a span of seven minutes and 25 seconds in the second half to reduce a 54-29 UTPA lead to 54-45 with 3:18 remaining.

But senior forward Julie Porter (Manchester, MI/Manchester HS/Kalamazoo Valley JC) made a layup, sophomore forward Jennifer Arriola (Rio Rico, AZ/Rio Rico HS) made three free throws, and junior guard Mary DeCock (Lamberton, MN/Red Rock Central HS/Northeast CC) connected on a three-pointer to allow UTPA to extend its lead to 62-48 with 51 seconds remaining.

Carlow finished with a career-high 21 points, making eight of 12 shots from the field to lead all scorers. Porter, DeCock and sophomore guard Jennifer Piwonka (Louise, TX/Louise HS) added eight points each, while senior guard Alex Gravel (Chicoutimi, Quebec) grabbed eight rebounds. Tiffany Nalls led Prairie View with 13 points.

"I was really happy with our execution in the first half," said UTPA Head Coach Tracy Anderson. "Amanda had an outstanding game, not only with her scoring but also in the fact that she only had one turnover and played 34 minutes. She made great decisions. We shot the ball very well in the first half, and we did a good job for the first part of the second half. We had that stretch in the second half where we turned the ball over several times out front, and that led to easy baskets. We also allowed them to get nine offensive rebounds in the second half. But when we really needed to execute, we were able to at the end of the game. We have to be able to play that way for 40 minutes. Mary also played well, and has done so for the past few games, and Alex led us with eight rebounds."

With the victory, the Lady Broncs won at home for the first time this season and improved to 2-13. PVAMU fell to 2-13. UTPA will return to action when they visit New Mexico State Saturday night in the first game of a doubleheader preceding the Broncs' game against the Aggies.

"They're off to a great start, they're unbeaten in the Sun Belt, and that's a tough place to play," said Anderson. "We'll definitely have to defend well and do a good job on the boards."


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