Saturday, January 3
Red Wolves defeat Mountaineers, 89-75
JONESBORO, Ark. (1/3/15) – Five Arkansas State players scored in double-figures and the team committed a Convocation Center record low five turnovers as the Red Wolves won their second straight game in an 89-75 victory over Appalachian State Saturday afternoon in women’s basketball.
Jasmine Hunt led a cavalcade of Red Wolves in double-figures with a career-high 19 points. Aundrea Gamble added 16 points and seven assists, while Hanna Qedan added 15 points. Jessica Flanery finished with a season best 13 points, including three, 3-pointers, while Khadija Brown-Haywood rounded out the scoring with 12 points and career-high nine rebounds.
The Red Wolves never trailed on the afternoon and were efficient on the offensive end of the floor. The team shot 46.5 percent (33-of-71) from the floor and set a new Convocation Center record with just five turnovers, breaking the previous A-State Convo record of eight that was set in 1990 and again in 1998. The Red Wolves also took advantage of open looks from behind the arc, including three makes by Flanery and two each from Qedan and Brown-Haywood.
“We had five people in double-figures and got a lot of people involved which is always good to do,” A-State head coach Brian Boyer said. “To finish game with only five turnovers, especially against a group as good as this one the forces 20-plus a game, is a great accomplishment and we did a great job of just taking care of the basketball.”
A-State held a 46-36 advantage at halftime and opened the second half on a 12-5 run to push its advantage to 17 points with over 15 minutes to go. A-State had four players in double figures before the first media timeout of the second half and did not commit a turnover in the half until the 7:38 mark. A-Stat committed just two turnovers in the first half and had just three, two in the final five minutes, in the second half.
The lead to grew to 21 points at 70-49 with 11:01 to go after back-to-back 3-pointers from Flanery to cap an 8-0 run. The Mountaineers never got within single digits in the second half and the Red Wolves held a double-digit lead from the 4:32 mark of the first half through the rest of the game.
“Offensively that was just a really good performance for us all the way around,” Boyer said. “We were just very sure and disciplined of everything on the offensive end.”
A-State jumped out to a quick start thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers from Gamble and Brown-Haywood to start the game. A 9-0 run by the Red Wolves pushed the advantage to 19-7 with just over 14 minutes remaining. Flanery played a big role in the run by getting a steal and assist and knocked down a 3-pointer to cap the run.
“We had a good defensive start to give ourselves the lead,” Boyer said. “Our defense was good and bad at times, but when it was good it was really good allowed us to build some separation.”
Hunt had a strong half with 14 points, including a perfect 4-for-4 to start the game, and was a dominating presence in the paint. She also grabbed four rebounds and dished out an assist to help Arkansas State lead by as many as 15 in the opening half.
“She was good and we knew coming into this game that there were some opportunities to score inside and Jasmine did a great job of taking advantage of that,” Boyer said. “What I liked the most was that she kept everything simple and stayed within herself and didn’t try to do much and finished the shots she was given.”
Qedan had 11 points on 3-of-7 shooting, including two 3-pointers, and was a perfect 3-of-3 from the foul line. She scored 11 of A-State’s first 29 points, while Brown-Haywood did a little of everything to finish the half with 10 points, five rebounds and a block to help the Red Wolves take a 46-36 lead at the break.
A-State, which has the highest field goal percentage in the league, shot 46.5 percent (33-of-71) from the field, including a 7-of-19 mark (36.8 percent) from behind the arc. The Red Wolves forced the Mountaineers into 15 turnovers which turned into 20 points on the offensive end and held a 16-2 edge in fast break points.
A-State has won four out of its last five games and is off to a 2-0 start in league play for the second straight season. The squad will return to action Monday, Jan. 5 at Louisiana-Monroe.
Hot Shooting, Defense Key in UALR's 75-55 Win over Panthers
ATLANTA – A career shooting performance by Alexius Dawn and an equally impressive scoring night from Taylor Gault were more than enough for the UALR women’s basketball team at Georgia State on Saturday afternoon.
Dawn scored a career-high 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting that included five 3-pointers, and Gault added a season-high 21 points of her own as the Trojans moved to 2-0 in Sun Belt play with a 75-55 victory over the Panthers at the GSU Sports Arena.
The win was UALR’s second consecutive conference victory that came by at least 20 points. The Trojans shot 54.7 percent as a team (29 of 53), breaking the 50 percent barrier for the third straight game.
Gault had 17 points at halftime and got 6 of her total points at the free-throw line. Dawn had just 8 at the break, but she stayed hot in the second half with three 3-pointers as the Trojans put the game away.
UALR (9-2, 2-0 Sun Belt Conference) also got double-figure scoring from Shanity James (14) and Kaitlyn Pratt. Georgia State (6-5, 1-1) was led by Alisa Andrews’ 11 points, but she was the only Panther in double figures.
With the teams tied at 19-19 midway through the first half, UALR began an 18-3 scoring run that would put them permanently out of Georgia State’s reach. The run lasted nearly seven minutes as UALR was scoring with easy layups and four free throws from Gault to gain a 15-point lead at 37-22 with a minute left in the half. Georgia State missed seven consecutive field goals during UALR’s big run, and the Panthers scored five of their seven points the rest of the half at the free-throw line.
UALR was ahead 39-26 at the break and never led by fewer than 11 points in the second half.
Ka'Nesheia Cobbins was excellent all game, setting a new career high with nine assists. Dawn also had six assists of her own. On the boards, James and Dawn led the Trojans with six rebounds apiece while Cobbins was close behind with five. Dawn also topped the team with four steals, tying a career high.
UALR now leads the all-time series with the Panthers 2-1, and the team is 2-0 in conference for the first time since the 2012-13 season. UALR has also now won five consecutive Sun Belt regular-season games.
The Trojans began the game on fire, scoring the contest’s first 7 points on a 3-pointer and mid-range jumper from Gault along with a Pratt layup. The Panthers got the next four points to cut UALR’s lead back down to 3, but the Trojans followed with six consecutive points on easy layups to force the Panthers into a timeout trailing 13-4.
The timeout seemed to work wonders for the Panthers, as they put Alisha Andrews into the game to hit two 3-pointers. GSU scored 9 of the first 11 points after the timeout, and the Trojans went into the second media break leading by a slim 15-13. By the third media timeout, Andrews had another basket and the Panthers were back level with the Trojans at 19-19 as the UALR offense faltered and committed turnovers.
But after that timeout, UALR took over. Georgia State’s offense went ice cold and UALR took advantage, going on their 18-3 run and a larger 20-7 run that extend the rest of the half.
Just like in the first half, the Trojans went on a 7-0 run early in the second period to extend their lead to 18 points at 48-30. Dawn had a 3-pointer and a fast-break layup in that stretch to increase the lead, and she hit her fourth 3-pointer of the game in between layups by Pratt and James. The Trojans were ahead 53-34 at the half’s first media timeout, and they would eventually extend their lead to 22 points midway through the half.
During the contest, James moved up to fifth all-time in UALR history in offensive rebounds. Kiera Clark got her 300th career defensive rebound. Gault recorded her 600th made field goal and also got her 300th career rebound. On the career scoring front, Pratt tallied her 200th point while Dawn had her 100th,
UALR has a very short break before its next game, as the team is back in action on Monday hosting South Alabama. The Trojans and Jaguars are set for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff at the Jack Stephens Center.
Texas State improves to 2-0 in SBC Play
STATESBORO, Ga. – Balanced scoring and consistent shooting led the Texas State women's basketball team to a 79-65 victory over Sun Belt Conference newcomer Georgia Southern Saturday evening. The Bobcats improve to 7-4 overall and 2-0 in SBC play.
Four Bobcats finished the game scoring in double figures, led by junior guard Ayriel Anderson with a season-high 16. Erin Peoples finished with 13 points, Raven Burns added 12, and Kileah Mays tallied a season-high 10.
Texas State jumped out of the gates on top with a long-jumper by senior Meghan Braeuer in the first possession of the contest. The Bobcats never relinquished their lead as they gradually saw their lead grow to as many as 10 in the first 10 minutes of play.
The Bobcat lead proceeded to swell to as many as 14 in the first half after freshman Ericka May hit her one and only three of the game with 4:28 on the clock.
Texas State took better care of the basketball in the first half, turning the ball over just five times. The Bobcats also took advantage of the boards, outrebounding Georgia Southern 24-15 at the break.
The second half of basketball remained in the Bobcat's court as Texas State maintained a double-digit lead over the Eagles throughout the remainder of the game. The closest the Eagles would come to the visiting Bobcats was 10 with 12:07 left in the game after a lay-up by Briana Jones.
Included in Anderson's team-high 16 points were three made three-pointers for Texas State. She also added five assists in 37 minutes of action for the Bobcats.
With 11 rebounds in addition to her 13 points, Peoples tallied her second double-double in as many games, fourth of the season, and 10th of her career. She led all players on the floor in rebounds.
The Bobcats finished the game shooting 48.2 percent from the floor including 52.0 percent in the second half. Texas State turned the ball over 14 times and outrebounded the Eagles 42-30.
Texas State will conclude its three-game road trip Monday afternoon at Georgia State. Tip-off against the Panthers is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. CT.
UT Arlington Nets Fifth-Straight Win, Opens SBC Play 2-0
ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington won its fifth consecutive after knocking off South Alabama 59-49 in Sun Belt Conference play at College Park Center on Saturday night.
The Lady Mavericks (8-3, 2-0) ended a brief two-game home stand perfect, their first 2-0 start in conference play since the 2007-08 season. Freshman Rebekah Van Dijk returned to double figures with a career-high 19 points. UTA tied the all-time series with South Alabama at two games a piece with the win.
"I am excited about the outcome," UT Arlington coach Krista Gerlich said. " It is a great start for us, we have really been talking about protecting home court and we have a big road trip going to Troy. I do feel like we haven't played very well these first two games, but I guess that is a bright spot. I feel like we have won without playing perfect or great and have lots of improvements to make."
Van Dijk, also picking up a career-high with four blocks, helped UTA hold a big advantage down low as UTA outscored South Alabama 38-12 in the paint. The Lady Mavs also turned the Jaguars (3-8, 0-2) over 23 times to UTA's 12.
The Lady Mavericks hit the road for the first time in conference play on Monday when they travel to Troy. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:15 p.m.
UTA opened and closed the first half strong to build up a double-digit lead at the break. Van Dijk scored four of the first eight points for the Lady Mavs as UTA's edge inside the paint became its advantage. UTA raced to a 6-0 lead just 1:30 into the game but the Jaguars went on a 10-2 run to take a brief lead.
Amara Wainwright helped UTA bounce back quickly on a 3-pointer that brought momentum in favor of the Lady Mavs. Van Dijk, helping edge the Jaguars 24-4 in the paint in the first, scored a game-high 10 points and sent UTA into the break up 33-22 on a 16-2 run.
"We take a lot of time to prep defensively and help our kids understand what we want to take away from them," Gerlich said of the team's ability to hold its opponent scoreless during several runs. "Our kids are setting goals for themselves, some of them seeming outrageous, but they are getting it done. We have to continue to do that and make them go on dry spells."
The Lady Mavs maintained a double-digit lead throughout much of the second half with each team exchanging buckets. However, the Jaguars closed the gap to six points with a late run.
South Alabama hit a 3-pointer and converted a free throw to make the game 54-48 with 3:50 remaining.
LaShanda Green would combine with Van Dijk to score UTA's final five points of the contest with the Lady Mavs' defense holding the Jaguars without a field goal for the final three minutes of play.
Trojans Hang on for 60-55 Win over UL Lafayette
LAFAYETTE, Louisiana – The Troy women's basketball team dominated the first half, then withstood a second-half surge from UL Lafayette in a 60-55 win on Saturday night at the Cajundome.
Troy (6-5, 1-1) held the Ragin' Cajuns to 24 percent shooting in the first half and took a 33-22 lead into the break. The Trojans expanded the lead to as many as 19 points, 46-27, with 13:22 to go, but went cold from there.
Troy made just one field goal over the next 10 minutes and UL Lafayette (8-3, 0-2) pulled even at 52-52 with 3:06 to go. The score stayed at 52-52 until the final minute when Rachel Reid came up big for Troy.
The junior hit a 3-pointer with 43 seconds to go, but the Cajuns responded with a trey just 12 seconds later. Reid responded with a second straight 3-pointer on the next possession and it was the difference as Troy went on to win, 60-55.
Aissata Maiga posted 14 points to lead the Trojans, including the first 3-pointer of her Troy career. She was a big part of Troy building the 19-point lead as all of her points came in the first 23 minutes of the game. She fouled out with 3:33 to go.
Troy sat back in a zone defense for the entire 40 minutes, and that was a big part of the Trojans holding the Cajuns to 55 points, the fewest allowed by a Troy team since a 78-53 win over South Alabama last February.
"Any win on the road is a big deal," Troy head coach Chanda Rigby said. "Our players showed a lot of maturity in executing a game plan that was outside of what we normally do, so I'm proud of them for getting the win.
Troy's zone defense led to a slow pace, but held the Cajuns to 29 percent (18-of-62) shooting, including 5-of-26 from long range. Troy, on the other hand, hit 42 percent (22-of-52) overall and 4-of-10 from deep.
The Trojans made an effort to work the paint offensively, and it paid off with a 32-20 advantage in the paint. The Trojans scored their first 18 points in the paint as they built the big lead early.
Troy outrebounded UL Lafayette, 43-41, including 10 rebounds from Ronita Garrett who finished with six points and missed out on her eighth double-double of the season. Reid, Ashley Beverly-Kelley and Caitlyn Ramirez all posted nine points for the Trojans.
The Trojans forced just 15 turnovers, the second lowest total of the season, and committed 21 themselves, including 14 in the second half. The Cajuns began to press Troy in the second half, and that helped them get back into it.
Robbie Brown scored 16 points to lead all scorers for UL Lafayette, with 14 coming in the second half as she sparked the Ragin' Cajuns run. In the 10-minute span that Troy made just one field goal, UL Lafayette went on a 25-6 run.
The Trojans have a quick turnaround as they travel back to Troy to take on UT Arlington on Monday at 5:15 p.m.