Box ScoreSeason StatsSAN ANGELO, Texas – A valiant second half comeback by the top-ranked West Texas A&M women's basketball team came up short as turnovers proved costly in a 69-64 loss at Angelo State Wednesday evening. With the loss, WT fell to 15-1 on the year, snapping the second longest winning streak in school history and 4-1 in Lone Star Conference play, while ASU improved to 9-4 and 2-1 in conference play.
After erasing a season-high 13-point deficit with a great comeback as they outscored ASU 37-32 in the second half tying the game late, the Lady Buffs were unable to get over the hump and were down 66-64 with less than a minute left. WT got a turnover and called a timeout with 30.7 seconds left. From there, junior
Sasha Watson was called for an offensive foul with 14.3 seconds left. After an ASU timeout, WT immediately fouled putting the Rambelles at the line for two. Brea Mitchell made one of two giving the Lady Buffs one last chance.
With 10.5 seconds left, ASU immediately fouled Watson but it was just third on the team. Senior
Michaela Neuhaus missed a long triple and ASU got the rebound. WT immediately fouled with 1.6 seconds left. Christina Robinson made both free throws for a 69-64 victory. WT's last lead came in the first quarter.
WT shot an even 50 percent for the game on 26 of 52 and held its opposition under 40 percent shooting for the 16
th straight game this season at 39 percent as the Rambelles shot 25 of 64. The Lady Buffs were 6 of 17 from beyond the arc and 6 of 11 from the line. The 21 turnovers led to a 20-9 lead for ASU in points off turnovers, which were a big factor in the game. WT held a 38-33 lead in rebounding.
The Lady Buffs had four players in double figures led by 14 points from senior
Michaela Neuhaus on 5 of 9 from the field and two triples along with two free throws. Senior
Madison McLain chipped in 12 points on four triples.
ASU was led by 19 points Brea Mitchell as she was 8 of 14 from the field and 2 of 5 from beyond the arc leading three Rambelles in double figures. ASU went 6 of 17 from beyond the arc and was 13 of 19 from the line which also was a factor in the game.
It marked the first win for ASU over WT a 77-71 double overtime victory in San Angelo on Dec. 1, 2012. WT had won seven-straight and now leads the all-time series 47-14. The loss snapped a 13-game road winning streak for WT. Since Feb. 9, 2013, WT now is 40-3 against LSC teams during the regular season and 55-4 in all games including the LSC and NCAA postseason.
The Lady Buffs return home to host Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday at 2 p.m. in the First United Bank Center.
Both teams started quickly making three early shots each, but from there the teams went cold as WT turned it over three times and ASU was 0 of its last five heading into the first media timeout with 4:33 left in the first quarter tied at six.
Junior
Sasha Watson ended a 3:27 scoring drought for the Lady Buffs with a diving bucket and a steal and layup from junior
Alie Decker followed for a 10-6 lead with three minutes left in the quarter. A bucket from Brea Mitchell in the lane tied the game at 10 with 1:33 left in the quarter as the Rambelles were just 2 of their last 11 and 4 of 15 for the quarter.
Mitchell then put the Belles in the lead with a bucket in the paint for a 12-10 lead at the end of the first quarter. WT shot 5 of 12 for the frame and 0 of 3 from beyond the arc. ASU was 5 of 18 from the field with one triple and 1 of 2 from the line. WT had the same turnover problems from Sunday at Cameron in the first quarter with seven miscues leading to a 7-4 lead for ASU in points off turnovers.
WT scored the first bucket of the quarter to tie, but Mitchell responded with two buckets for a 16-14 lead with 7:28 left as she opened with nine early points. KeAnna Kelly was fouled on a triple and sank all three free throws for a 19-14 lead for the largest Rambelle lead to that point. Watson scored inside cutting the deficit to three at 19-16. Kelley then added a triple as the shot clock was winding down for a 24-16 lead with 5:04 left in the half.
Out of a timeout by ASU, the Lady Buffs turned it over for the 10
th time in the game. Senior
Michaela Neuhaus responded with two buckets for a 26-20 score with four minutes left in the half. Senior
Madison McLain hit a triple for a 28-23 deficit. Kelly then hit her second trey for a 31-23 lead with just over three minutes left in the half as the teams began to heat up with ASU making five of its last seven shots.
Neuhaus hit her second triple cutting the deficit to six with 1:12 left in the quarter. Kelly scored in transition and the Rambelles had a triple for a 37-26 lead for the largest deficit for the Lady Buffs of the season with the previous being against Colorado Mesa the second game of the season. Watson earned two shots at the line with 1.3 seconds left as she made one for a 37-27 deficit at intermission. It was the second consecutive game the Lady Buffs trailed at intermission.
For the half, WT shot 12 of 26 from the field for 46 percent. The Lady Buffs were 2 of 9 from beyond the arc and 1 of 2 from the line. 12 turnovers in the first half proved costly as ASU held a 12-6 lead in points off turnovers. Neuhaus paced the team with nine points.
ASU had two players in double figures led by Mitchell with 12 and Kelly with 11. The rest of the team had 12 combined. The Rambelles shot 14 of 34 from the field for 41 percent. They were 4 of 8 from beyond the arc and 5 of 8 from the line. ASU held a 19-17 lead in rebounding.
The Lady Buffs kept chipping away and used an 8-0 run with back-to-back triples from McLain and a bucket from senior
Zantaya Davis to cut the deficit to one late in the third quarter. Taylor Dorsey followed her missed shot and scored right before the buzzer putting ASU back up 53-50 through three quarters.
A quick 4-0 start by ASU put the Rambelles back up seven at 57-50 early in the fourth. A hard collision between Decker and Watson going for a loose ball early in the fourth quarter forced the Lady Buffs to play the quarter without them. Neuhaus found junior
Maddison Wild inside for a bucket and a 57-52 deficit with eight minutes left.
Sophomore
Hannah Alexander scored a bucket with six minutes left pulling WT within 57-54. ASU began to go cold as it missed its last six shots and a 3:33 scoring drought. One of two free throws from Dorsey pushed the lead to four and ended the drought. Neuhaus buried a triple pulling with within 58-57 with 4:45 left. Diamalsies Rivera hit a bucket for a 60-57 lead and the 19
th miscue gave the ball back to ASU.
McLain tied the game on her fourth triple of the game at 60 with 3:23 left. Following a bucket from Mitchell for her 18
th point, Neuhaus was fouled driving to the bucket as she tied the game on the ensuing possession.
Following a turnover by ASU, the ninth of the game by the Rambelles, the Lady Buffs looked for their first lead since the first quarter. The 20
th turnover by WT and a hoop-and-harm foul gave ASU a 65-62 lead with 1:49 left. Neuhaus looked a long triple but it was off as ASU cleared the rebound. Jasmine Prophet hit one of two free throws for a 66-62 lead with 1:17 left. Watson returned and hit Davis for a hoop-and-harm for a 66-64 score with a minute left.
