ALLEN, Texas – In what felt like a championship game from start to finish, the West Texas A&M women's basketball team fell just short in the 2017 Lone Star Conference semifinal, 70-68 to Angelo State in another classic matchup between the two teams. 

"Always a tough one to swallow when you lose by two points," WT head coach Kristen Mattio said.  "They (Angelo State) made a big three late by Lexi Murphy and somehow, someway they always figure a way to edge us out by the end.  Angelo State is a solid, team and a well, coached team.  They have given us fits before and found a way to edge us out. 

"I thought our girls, for the most part, stayed composed, Mattio continued.  The third quarter was a deciding factor, we had too many turnovers and allowed them to get back in it, but we battled back and in the fourth quarter, Sasha (Watson) made some big shots and Alie (Decker) made some threes.  We gave ourselves every opportunity to walk away with the win.  Taylor Dorsey had a great game as she scored half of their points."

In the third, WT committed four turnovers leading to five points for ASU as WT was 5 of 14 from the field in the frame, shooting 35.7 percent, while ASU shot its best at 53.8 percent on 7 of 13 as Dorsey had 15 points in the period.

"She (Dorsey) was phenomenal tonight and we didn't have a good defensive answer for her," Mattio said.  "With those turnovers, especially in the third, were huge as we handed them the ball and they turned them into points."

In a game that saw four players combined for 97 of the 138 points for 65 percent of the scoring, WT senior Sasha Watson scored 24 points on nine of 17 from the field and six of six from the line with eight rebounds and two assists.  Senior Alie Decker went seven of 11 from the field with six triples and eight rebounds, along with two assists and three steals.  The duo combined for 45 of WT's 68 points.

Decker's seven triples in the two LSC Championship games gives her 78 for the season as she moves into fourth all-time in triples made in a season.  Lori DeShields (1994-95) had 79, Emily Brister (2006-07) had 84 and Carlee Howard (2003-04) leads the record book with 93 treys.  Watson's 29 points in the two games gives her 1,303 for her career as she ranks 12^th in school history.

"Two seniors in Alie and Sasha, who we live who have given their heart and soul to the team and will continue to as we move forward," Mattio added.  "They carried us from the offensive end as Alie from the perimeter as she got some great looks from her teammates and was able to knock them down.  Sasha had great penetration late and she has the will to win mentality and got the rim and finish around the basket."

Angelo State's Taylor Dorsey led all scorers with 35 points on 13 of 22 from the field, with six triples, three free throws, along with six assists and two steals.  Lexi Murphy scored the final 11 points for the Rambelles for 17 points on five of 12 from the field with three triples and three free throws. 

As a team, the Lady Buffs shot 41 percent from the field on 25 of 61 and was eight of 19 from beyond the arc, while going 10 of 16 from the line.  The Lady Buffs dominated the boards to the tune of 46-32, including 15-9 on the offensive end, but 14 miscues led to an 18-7 lead for Angelo State in points off turnovers.  WT turned the 15 offensive rebounds into a 22-3 lead in second chance points as the 15 offensive boards tied the season-high.  Besides the 45 points from Watson and Decker, no other Lady Buff had more than eight points as senior Lilley Vander Zee had eight points along with a game-high ten rebounds.  The rest of the Lady Buff squad combined for 23 points.

ASU shot 25 of 60 from the field for 41.7 percent and was 11 of 26 from beyond the arc, while going nine of 15 from the line.  Along with Dorsey's 35 and Murphy's 17, Jasmine Prophet added eight points for the next highest output as the rest of the Rambelles had just 18 points.

The Rambelles came out on fire as Dorsey made two triples and a bucket for an 8-2 lead early, but Vander Zee scored down low twice off two offensive rebounds for an 8-4 score.  With the shot clock winding down, junior Cece Wooten found an open junior Sydney Walton for a triple and Decker buried a trey to tie the game at ten with 3:59 left in the first quarter.  It was Decker's 73 triple of the game moving her into sixth all-time in triples in a single-season in WT history.

Following a short stoppage of play due to one basket shot clock not working, junior Madison Wild scored down low for WT's first lead of the game at 12-10 with 3:28 left in the quarter.  Murphy buried a triple for a 15-12 ASU lead with 90 seconds left in the first quarter.  Watson scored a bucket and then added another in transition to earn the "and one" putting WT up 17-15 late in the quarter.

Prophet ended a 0-5 field goal drought for ASU with a bucket in the paint early in the second quarter tying the game at 17.  Murphy hit her second trey for a 20-19 ASU lead with 8:19 left in the half, but Decker answered with her second trey at the other end.  Madi Greenwood nailed a three for a 25-22 Angelo State advantage with 7:04 left in the half.

Decker then tied the game with a trey – her third at 25 and KeAnna Kelly hit a long range shot for a 28-25 Rambelle lead.  Vander Zee scored inside for her sixth point of the game and pulled WT within 28-27 with 3:59 left in the half.  Decker hit her fourth trey after a miss from ASU for a 30-28 WT lead.  Junior Madison Parker pulled down an offensive rebound in transition and scored for a 32-28 Lady Buff lead as ASU went cold missing its last eight shots and a 4:06 scoring drought. 

Two offensive rebounds and a triple from Dorsey ended the half as WT held a 32-31 lead at intermission as ASU made just one of its last 13 shots to end the half. 

WT shot 39.4 percent for the half on 13 of 33 with five triples in 12 attempts, including four from Decker.  The Lady Buffs went to the line three times, making one.  WT held a 25-19 lead in rebounding for the half as Decker had a team-high 12 points. 

ASU shot 34.3 percent on 12 of 35, while draining seven triples in 17 attempts and did not go to the line in a half with a combined six fouls.  Dorsey led the Rambelles with 13 points on five of 11 from the field and three triples.  The half had five ties and seven lead changes.

A bucket from Decker and a layup from Vander Zee gave WT its largest lead of the game at five points for a 36-31 lead with just over eight minutes left in the third.  Two quick buckets from ASU pulled the Rambelles back within 36-35 moments later.  Watson scored inside for a 38-35 lead for her seventh point of the game.  Dorsey tied the game with her fourth triple at 38.  Prophet put ASU up 40-38 with a driving layup with 6:13 left in the third.  It was ASU's first lead since 28-27 with 4:17 left in the second.

A steal and layup put ASU up 42-38 and another WT miscue led to a fast break attempt for Greenwood who was fouled hard by Watson.  Greenwood made both free throws for the first two attempts of the game for the Rambelles.  Another turnover and foul followed as WT went on a 2:58 scoreless drought trailing 45-38.  Dorsey hit a free throw for an eight-point lead at 46-38 as the WT drought reached 3:22 on four-straight misses and four turnovers for an 11-0 run by ASU.

Decker buried her fifth triple ending the drought for a 46-41 deficit with 3:38 left in the third.  Dorsey then hit her fifth triple and 27^th point of the game for a 51-42 lead – the largest of the game with 1:39 left in the third.  Walton answered at the other end pulling within 51-45. 

Four free throws from Watson pulled WT within 53-49 at the end of three quarters.  WT was just two of seven from the line prior to Watson's makes. 

Decker hit her sixth triple, tying her WT best set against Midwestern State this season pulling with within 53-52, but Dorsey answered with a trifecta at the other end using the lead to 56-52.  It was her 31^st point of the game and sixth triple also.  Decker tied her WT career-best with one of two free throws pulling WT within a triple at 56-53 with seven minutes left.  Two quick buckets and a timeout by WT as ASU stretch the lead to seven as the 13^th miscue by WT led to the final bucket and the 16^th point of the WT turnovers for ASU.

Senior Maddison Wild scored her first two points at the line pulling WT within 60-55 with 5:18 left.  Following a bucket from ASU, Watson earned the "and one" pulling the Lady Buffs back within four with 4:25 left.

A bucket from Watson pulled WT within two at 62-60 with 3:07 left.  Watson tied the game at 62 with 2:30 remaining and a timeout by ASU as the game lived to the history of the series, including last year's double overtime championship game.

Following a missed shot by the Rambelles out of the timeout, Wild had a shot at the lead, but it was rejected by Prophet.  Murphy hit a jumper at the shot clock expired, but Watson scored her 20^th point at the other end to tie the game with 49 seconds left.  Murphy hit a big triple in the corner for a 67-64 lead and a timeout by WT with 25 seconds left. 

Following a miss and rebound by Murphy, the Lady Buffs had to foul as Murphy earned a trip to the line with 13.6 second left.  She missed the first toss and made the second as WT called timeout to advance the ball training 68-64.  Watson scored and WT fouled Murphy immediately.  Murphy made two free throws, but Watson scored two just before the buzzer for the final margin of 70-68. 

WT falls to 5-3 all-time against Angelo State in the Lone Star Conference Championship, as the teams have met in each of the last three championships.  WT won in 2015 in the first round, lost last year in the championship in double overtime and the semifinal loss this year.  WT now is a league-best 50-16 in the championship all-time in 28 appearances. 

WT now will await its NCAA Tournament fate as an at large team into the South Central Regional.  The Lady Buffs were third in the latest NCAA Region rankings heading into the conference tournament.  Fans can watch the NCAA Selection Show Sunday evening at 9 p.m. CT on NCAA.com.