Averaging 2.8 threes per game, Lady Rams sink 11
Hill leads SAGU with career night in points, assists
Box Score and Standings (links below)
FORT WORTH, Texas — Running into a hot team on the road was too much for Southwestern Assemblies of God University on Thursday night.
The Lady Lions entered the game with the best field goal defense in the Sooner Athletic Conference . Opponents were successful on only 32% of their shots against SAGU’s effective zone defense.
Until Texas Wesleyan University began shooting over the zone with three-pointers. Eleven triples later the Lady Rams ran away with an 80-59 triumph at the Sid Richardson Center .
While the hosts made 60% of their shots in the first half, the Lady Lions were connecting on only 28%.
After Taylor Hill (Waxahachie, Tx / Waxahachie HS ) fed senior Shaquita Roberts (San Antonio, Tx / Byron Steele HS ) inside for a jumper, SAGU had cut a 12-6 deficit to one at 16-15.
The Lady Rams surged ahead 37-24 on one of three first half treys by Amy Moody .
Free throws by senior Nia Winston (Garland, Tx / Lakeview Centennial HS ) , jumpers from Hill and junior Kassy Cox (Lufkin, Tx / Lufkin HS ) and a late Laken Ward (Cleveland, Ark / Wonderview HS ) foul shot pulled the Pride to within 39-29 at the half.
Four straight from the charity stripe by Roberts and Hill kept the Lady Lions in the game at 43-35.
The team stayed within striking range by taking care of the ball; they made only nine turnovers, and by grabbing 16 offensive rebounds.
But they seldom cashed in, despite having a huge 75 to 57 margin in shots attempted.
Jirah Rodriguez (Georgetown, Tx / Georgetown HS ) knocked down a trifecta following a pass from Roberts with 14:02 to play. SAGU trailed 49-42.
But they couldn’t sustain it and soon found themselves out of the game.
Team Purple missed their next four shots and nine of ten while Wesleyan blew the game open.
The hosts hit 5-of-7 and three of four free throws to lead 62-44 with 9:31 to go. Ball game.
The starting line-up combined to make 28% (12-of-43) and just half of the team’s 38 rebounds. Understandably, Coach Arlon Beadles sought offensive spark from the bench.
“We weren’t hitting our shots all night,” Coach Beadles said. “Combined with the fact we weren’t defending well made it tough.”
He praised the effort of a few, none more highly than Hill. “She was fantastic tonight. Taylor has been coming on and had a very solid game.”
Rodriguez, freshman Alexis McAfee (DeSoto, Tx / DeSoto HS ) and senior Andrea Lugo (San Antonio, Tx / Somerset HS ) collaborated for 18 points (reserves united for 24), but they couldn’t do any better at cooling off the sizzling Rams.
Wesleyan moved ahead 77-51 in the next five and one-half minutes.
The Lady Rams, hot as a ploar bear at a cookout, were true on 54% of their shots in the game.
So effective were they on this night they were credited with assists on 28 of their 31 baskets. In the process, SAGU committed just seven fouls in the contest.
Wesleyan came into the game in last place in the SAC with 2.8 threes per game. They fired 11 in just 20 tries.
Moody, a junior with three triples all season, was successful on just 17% of her long distance tries. On this night, however, she torched the Lady Lions backcourt for 6-of-8 treys.
She led all scorers with 22 points and registered 10 assists. In high school she was a two-time Class 5A All-State player.
Kayla McCray , a 6’2 center, added 19 points and her seven rebounds keyed TWU’s 46-38 control of the paint. Guard Takoia Larry contributed 11 points and a game high 11 rebounds.
SAGU, now 7-7 in all games, slipped to 1-3 in the SAC.
Wesleyan, who has won the last six meetings in the series for a 17-10 lead, is 6-6 and 2-2.
Hill, a point guard, had her best game of the season. She poured in 18 points, sinking 7-of-15 from the field, including two treys.
The sophomore also had eight assists. Her points and assist totals were both career bests.
Winston tossed in 10 points. Roberts scored six and led with seven boards.
Lady Lions host Science & Arts on Saturday at 3pm
SAGU will be back in action on Saturday in a 3:00pm (CST) matinee against the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma (USAO).
The Lady Drovers are 3-4 overall and 2-2 in the SAC. They have won their last two games, defeating the two winless teams in the league; St. Gregory’s and Northwood .
Fans can watch the game in person, via LiveStats or on SAGU Sport Live , an HD video production on the SAGU Sports Network .
Contact : Mark “Link” Warde , SAGU Sports Information Director, at [email protected] or at 469-658-2847.
Current Standings : http://www.soonerathletic.org/
Double Figure Scorers (through 14 games)
| Double Figure Scorers (through 14 games) | |
|---|---|
| Total times scoring 10+ points in a game : Winston 11, Rodriguez 6, Hill 4, Dorsey 2, Roberts 2, Ward 2, Krock 1, Page 1. | |
| Game 1: | Hill 12, Dorsey 11, Krock 11, Rodriguez 10 |
| Game 2: | Winston 23 |
| Game 3: | Roberts 11 |
| Game 4: | Winston 22, Dorsey 10 |
| Game 5: | Rodriguez 10 |
| Game 6: | Rodriguez 21, Winston 20, Hill 15, Ward 10, Roberts 10 |
| Game 7: | Winston 23, Rodriguez 12 |
| Game 8: | Winston 20 |
| Game 9: | Winston 28, Rodriguez 10 |
| Game 10: | Winston 17, Rodriguez 15, Ward 10 |
| Game 11: | Winston 14 |
| Game 12: | Winston 22, Hill 13 |
| Game 13: | Winston 23, Page 10 |
| Game 14: | Hill 18, Winston 10 |
Note : 16 games remain in the regular season; nine at home
