February 20, 2013
MUSTANGS USE SECOND HALF SURGE TO DOWN LIONS, 70-62
Midwestern State 70; A&M-Commerce 62
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (19-5, 14-4 LSC); A&M-Commerce (8-14, 6-11 LSC)
Up Next: vs. Cameron – Saturday February 23 – 5:30 p.m. – The Field House
Wichita Falls, Texas – A&M-Commerce led 38-29 at the half but Midwestern State came out hot in the second half and took advantage 18 Lion turnovers. Midwestern took the lead for good at the half way point in the second half 43-42 thanks to a layup by Kirsti Degelia. The Mustangs out scored the Lions 41-24 in the second half.
The Mustangs opened the game with five straight points in the first two minutes. The Lions battled back to tie the game at 14-14. A&M-Commerce would not trail for the remainder of the first half. A Symone Brown jumper gave the Lions their largest lead of 12 with 54 seconds remaining at 38-26. A Kirsti Degelia three pointer with four seconds left in the half to make it a nine-point deficit at the break.
Breanna Harris had 13 in the first half and added eight rebounds. Devin Oliver had 10 points on 3-6 shooting and 3-3 from the free throw line. Danielle Dixon had eight points on 3-9 from the field. Kourtney Briscoe had three in the first half and two assists, Symone Brown and La'Tisha Hearne had two each.
Diana Jones had eight points to lead the Mustangs in the first half. Degelia had seven and two assists as well.
Devin Oliver opened the scoring with jumper to make 40-29 in favor of the Lions. Midwestern State then held the Lions scoreless for five plus minutes and cut the lead to three after a layup by Skyler Warrick. Shanekqua Bibbs ended the drought for the Lions with a jumper to get the lead back to five. A&M-C then went another three and a half minutes without scoring. A three pointer by Oliver gave the Lions a lead at 45-44, which turned out to be the final lead the Lions would have.
The Mustangs extended the lead to as many as 10 at 60-50 with just over five minutes left. Symone Brown hit a three to make it 66-62 in favor of Midwestern State but the Mustangs made their free throws and held on.
Harris finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds and recorded her 13th double-double of the season. Oliver and Dixon each finished with 15 points. La'Tisha Hearne had 11 rebounds and recorded four points. Brown was only 2-16 from the field but did add 12 rebounds.
Degelia finished with 16 and three rebounds to lead the Mustangs. Jones, Shatoia Gober, and Andrea Carter were all in double figures for the Mustangs.
The Lions return home for a game against the Aggies of Cameron on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 5:00. The later start time is due to the Field House hosting the UIL District II -3A regional playoff fir girl's basketball.
