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Lady Buffs Suffer First Home Loss of Season, 51-48, At Hands Of NSU
Jan. 6, 2005
The West Texas A&M University women's basketball team trailed from start to finish, as the Lady Buffs suffered their first loss at home this season, 51-48, to Northeastern State University, Thursday night in a Lone Star Conference crossover game at the WTAMU Event Center.
Senior forward Celeste Stevenson posted her second-straight double-double with game-highs of 17 points and 10 rebounds.
WTAMU trailed from start to finish, as the Lady Reds jumped out to a 22-6 lead with 8:12 to go before the Lady Buffs trimmed the deficit to 27-23 with 49 seconds left in the half on a 3-pointer from senior guard Suni Jo Petty.
NSU had a 29-23 lead at the half before WTAMU scored the first bucket of the second half to pull to 29-25, but the Lady Reds reeled off an 11-2 run to take a 40-27 lead on a a three-point play by LeAndrea Simmons.
Emily Eaves gave NSU a 50-39 lead with 7:50 to go on a trey from the wing, before WTAMU went on a 9-0 run to pull within 50-48 with 46.4 seconds left in the game on a pair of Stevenson free throws.
After both teams took timeout to set up for the stretch run, the Lady Buffs forced an NSU turnover in the backcourt with 36.5 ticks on the clock, but WTAMU turned the ball right back over.
NSU's Bobbi Jo Truelove was fouled on the inbounds pass with 25.9 seconds and hit one of the two ensuing free throws, giving WTAMU a chance.
Petty missed a runner with 14.3 seconds left, but junior forward Keisha Monroe garnered the offensive rebound and WTAMU took a timeout to set up a final shot.
Junior guard Sassy Pyburn's 3-point attempt from the corner was blocked by Simmons and Stevenson corraled the ball and fired an off-balance jumper at the buzzer.
WTAMU shot a paltry 28.8 percent (17-of-59) from the floor, including 4-of-21 (19.0 percent) from behind the 3-point arc.
The Lady Buffs had a 42-40 rebounding edge and forced 19 NSU turnovers, while only committing 14 blunders, but couldn't convert those into points.
WTAMU, listed at No. 26 in this week's WBCA poll, is now 7-3 on the year, while NSU, also among others receiving votes in the poll, is 7-5.
The Lady Buffs wrap up their three-game homestand by hosting the University of Central Oklahoma in an LSC crossover doubleheader with the WTAMU men. The Lady Buffs tip off at 6 p.m.
UCO grabbed a 54-52 win at Eastern New Mexico University Thursday.
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