FRISCO, Texas – The Angelo State women's basketball team defeated Texas Woman's 75-71 to advance to the semifinal of the Lone Star Conference Tournament and will face Tarleton State on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Frisco, Texas.
The Belles improve to 22-5 overall while the Pioneers fall to 11-16. ASU outrebounded TWU 39-36 and recorded 12 assists and eight steals in the win. TWU shot 44.8 percent from the field while ASU made 42.6 from the field and 72.0 from the free throw line. The game featured seven lead changes and five ties.
Three players scored in double figures for ASU led by Marquita Daniels, the LSC Player of the Year. The senior recorded 21 points and became the Belles single season record holder for steals with 97 on the season. De'Anira, the LSC Defensive Player of the Year, recorded her 11th double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Dezirae Hampton added 17 points, two assists and one steal. The junior made three 3-pointers and was 6-for-6 from the charity stripe.
The first quarter was back and forth with five lead changes and the score being tied four times. TWU scored the first four points of the game before Moore put ASU on the board with a layup. After a layup from Daniels, the score would be tied four times over the next three minutes of the game. Down 12-10 with 2:27 to go in the first half, a Kynese Davis 3-pointer sparked a 8-4 run to close out the first quarter to give ASU a 18-16 lead.
The second quarter started with a Daniels jumper but TWU responded with four straight times to tie the game for the final time. A 7-2 run highlighted by one of Hampton's three 3-pointers pushed the Belles ahead by 27-22 with 4:17 left in the second quarter. ASU would go scoreless over the next two minutes as the Pioneers gained the lead back at 28-27. Aaliyah Warren's layup on the ensuing possession would give the Belles a lead they wouldn't relinquish. TWU would get close including cutting the deficit to one with 46 second remaining but Daniels hit a layup with eight seconds as ASU held on to a 33-30 advantage after two quarters.
ASU started the third quarter on a 10-6 run with Madi Greenwood and Hampton each hitting a 3-pointer for a 43-36 lead with 5:12 remaining in the quarter. The Belles would lead by seven four different time in the quarter responding each time TWU tried to cut it to within five points. The Belles would lead 49-42 after three quarters.
The start of the fourth quarter gave ASU some breathing room. A 6-3 run with Daniels scoring all six points gave the Belles their first double-digit lead of the game. TWU trimmed it to single digits at 55-47 but four straight points made it 59-47 in favor of Angelo State. An Ekiya Gray layup with 4:05 of the fourth once again made the lead 12 at 65-53. TWU would continue to battle and with 25 seconds to go the game was just separated by three points. Daniels calmly sank a pair of free throws but a Pioneer layup quickly cut it to three points with 10 seconds. Greenwood would make one of two free throws to secure the 75-71 victory.
The Belles will now face Tarleton State at 2:30 p.m. in the semifinal of the LSC Tournament Championship. The two teams split the season series with both winning on their home courts. The game will be carried locally on 1260 AM KKSA with Jeremy Bryant on the call.
