FORT SMITH, Arkansas – Senior Lexy Hightower proved why she was named the Preseason Lone Star Conference Player of the Year on Sunday afternoon as the Amarillo product scored 27 points to lead the #19 Lady Buffs past Arkansas-Fort Smith in LSC crossover action at the Stubblefield Center, 63-49.
 
Hightower finished the game going 9-of-16 from the floor including 1-of-2 from deep and 8-of-9 from the free throw line to lead all players with 27 points, Lauren Taylor went 5-of-7 from the field and 2-of-2 from long range for 12 points while Aminata Dosso registered a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
 
The Lady Buffs went 22-of-44 (50%) from the floor including 4-of-10 (40%) from behind the arc and 15-of-20 (75%) from the free throw line to go along with 41 total rebounds (7 offensive, 34 defensive), nine assists, 21 turnovers, five steals and five blocks.
 
UAFS was led offensively by Mar'Shalia Lollie as the senior post went 7-of-18 from the floor including a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line for 18 points to go along with 10 rebounds, one steal and one block. UAFS finished the afternoon going 13-of-57 (22.8%) from the field including 2-of-17 (11.8%) from deep and 21-of-26 (80.8%) from the charity stripe with 31 rebounds (14 offensive, 17 defensive), eight assists, 11 turnovers, eight steals and one block.
 
The Lady Buffs came out firing as they started the game on an 18-8 run highlighted by a pair of long balls from Lexy Hightower and Lauren Taylor and six early points from Aminata Dosso, Taylor connected again from deep followed two possessions later by an Abby Spurgin jumper to make it 23-13 after the first.
 
WT continued their strong defensive pressure to start the second period as they held a 29-19 lead heading into a media timeout with 4:35 remaining in the half, both teams struggled to find the bottom of the net after the break as a Hightower jumper, a Sienna Lenz free throw and a Lauren Taylor bucket at the buzzer sent the game into the locker room for halftime at 34-19.
 
UAFS started the second half on a 6-0 run as they cut the WT lead to single-digits before Madison Kast connected from deep to stop the momentum at 37-25, the Lady Lions continued their hot shooting to close out the third period before a Hightower pull-up jumper from the elbow as time expired stretched the WT lead to 45-38 headed to the fourth.
 
The Lady Lions cut the WT lead to 50-44 before Hightower connected again on a jumper to run her game total to 16 points with 6:05 left, the Lady Buffs made a big defensive stop followed by a Hightower three-point play to make it 55-44 heading into a media timeout. Hightower continued to roll after the timeout as she hit another jumper followed by a pair of free throws to make it 59-48 headed into a timeout with 1:17 left. Hightower would hit four more free throws after the timeout for the 63-49 win.
 
The Lady Buffs head into the NCAA's mandatory holiday break as they take the court again on January 8-9, hosting Texas Woman's in LSC crossover action at the First United Bank Center in Canyon.
 
Lady Buff Basketball Postgame Notes
West Texas A&M 63, Arkansas-Fort Smith 49
December 20, 2020
Stubblefield Center (Fort Smith, Arkansas)

• WT picked up their seventh all-time victory against Arkansas-Fort Smith as they move to a perfect 7-0 in the series including 3-0 on the road.
• Hightower connected one time from behind the arc to move into fourth place on WT's career list of made three pointers, passing Lori DeShields (198 / 1993-97). She is just 10 long balls short of Holly Isaacs (2006-10) who ranks third all-time with 209.
• Saturday marked the 35^th time in Hightower's career that the senior has led WT in scoring, it was also her 19^th career game with atleast 20 points.
• Dosso registered her first career double-double in just her second game in Maroon & White (10 points, 10 rebounds).