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WT Postgame

CANYON, Texas  –  The top-seeded and No. 5-ranked West Texas A&M Lady Buff women's basketball team won its 19^th-straight game with an 80-61 victory over No. 8-seed Cameron in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA South Central Regional at the First United Bank Center Friday evening.  With the win, WT improved to 28-2 on the year, while Cameron ended its season at 15-12. 
 
"I thought it was a solid effort, especially on the defensive end, that was our focus throughout the week trying to limit them from the 3," head coach Mark Kellogg said.  "I loved our defensive effort in the first half, we were dialed in – locked in and probably as well as we've played on defense in a half this season.  All is all, a solid effort and survive and advance mode at this point."
 
WT senior Chontiquah White, who was named to the Daktronics First Team All-Region earlier today, had a season-high 29 points and nine rebounds as she was 10 of 12 from the field and 9 of 9 from the line leading three Lady Buffs in double figures.  Senior Ariel Robertson added 14 points and eight rebounds, while sophomore Sasha Watson, who was named to the Second Team All-District for Daktronics, had 11 points. 
 
"We knew they were going to double team us and I had a lot of confidence in my team to get be the ball and go straight-up before the double team," White said. 
 
The Lady Buffs shot 50.9 percent for the game on 28 of 55.  WT was 4 of 14 from beyond the arc and 20 of 24 from the line, including 12 of 15 in the second half.  WT out-rebounded Cameron 47-20 and held the Aggies to just 38.6 percent shooting.  Cameron really struggled from beyond the arc going 5 of 20 as it entered at a .375 clip from range which led the LSC this season. 
 
The Aggies were led by 15 points from Brandi Leal on 5 of 11 from the floor with three triples.  Markita Zeigler was 6 of 10 from the field with five rebounds for 12 points. 
 
The Lady Buffs now will play No. 5-seed Arkansas-Fort Smith Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the First United Bank Center in the second regional semifinal.  No. 2-seed UC-Colorado Springs battles No. 6-seed Colorado Christian at 5 p.m.  CCU upset No. 3-seed Midwestern State 67-57 in the first game Friday.
 
WT used a 16-2 run over the final five minutes of the first half to pull away.  After Leal buried a triple to cut it to a 26-20 score, Robertson began the run with a layup on an assist from junior Madison McLain.  Following a bucket from Charron Montgomery at the 4:24 mark, WT scored the final 14 points highlighted by a pair of triples from junior Danielle Logan for a 42-22 lead at intermission.
 
"We talked about wanting to separate the game a little bit with about five minutes left in the first half," Kellogg added.  "I thought we did a great job there, of course you want to end halves and start halves well and I think we did that."
 
White had 13 points at half and she moved into a tie for third all-time in games played with 126 (Dixie Bell, 2004-09).  Senior Jordan Vessels moved into a tie for seventh all-time with Casey Land (2010-14) with 123 games played tonight.
 
In the second half, Vessels buried a triple for a 62-41 lead with 10 minutes left to push the lead back above 20 points.  Cameron cut the deficit to 15 two more times, but was unable to get closer than that.