SAN ANGELO - The Angelo State women's basketball team took an early lead and never looked back against Texas A&M-Commerce, winning 66-55 in the Stephens Arena at the Junell Center.
The Belles (17-4, 9-2) are now in sole possession of first place in the Lone Star Conference after the win with just five games left in the regular season.
ASU jumped out in front to start the game, scoring seven of the game's first nine points on buckets from Dezirae Hampton, Dee Moore, Marquita Daniels and Madi Greenwood.
Neither team was able to get much going offensively after the opening minutes, however, and a jumper from Ekiya Gray pot the Belles up 11-6, where the quarter ended. The best performance of the opening quarter actually came on the glass, as Moore grabbed 11 rebounds in the first period alone.
Moore slowed down after the opening quarter, but still ended the game 1ith 17 boards to go along with her nine points.
The Belles again opened the quarter strong in the second period, with Hampton getting to the free throw line and Daniels and Gray hitting back-to-back buckets to push the lead to eight points.
With 4:39 left to play in the first half, Mikayla Blount hit a jumper in the lane to get put ASU up by 10 points, their widest of the half.
Texas A&M-Commerce quickly cut the lead to just five with a three-pointer and a layup, but the Belles held their ground and went into the locker room up by six.
The Lions continued to fight back early in the second half, cutting the ASU lead to just two with 7:50 left in the third quarter but ASU responded again by holding TAMC for two minutes and pushing the lead back to seven points on a free throw from Kynese Davis.
Both teams traded buckets for the rest of quarter three, as ASU only lead by as many as nine points and TAMC was only able to get as close as four. When the buzzer sounded for the end of the quarter, the Belles led by seven.
The Belles got another run to start the fourth quarter, with seven of the first nine points. A layup from Daniels got to a double-digit lead for just the second time all game.
TAMC cut back into the deficit with two straight buckets, but ASU responded once again to hold onto the lead. A reverse layup under the basket from Hampton got the lead to 11.
Hampton had a career night against the Lions with a career-high 18 points and eight rebounds in the game. A free throw from the Arlington native less than a minute later put the Belles up by 14 points, their widest lead of the game.
Daniels also had another strong night, getting 20 points in the game to go along with four steals.
Texas A&M-Commerce got one more basket before the game, but it was not enough as ASU walked away with a 66-55 win.
The Belles will be back at home on Saturday at 2 p.m. against Tarleton State in their annual pink out game. Fans are encouraged to wear pink and come help ASU raise money for breast cancer research at the game.
