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Déjà vu For WTAMU As Lady Buffs Beaten By Rambelles Again, 59-43, Thursday
Feb. 10, 2005
SAN ANGELO, Texas --- The West Texas A&M University Lady Buff basketball team lost to ninth-ranked Angelo State University, 59-43, Thursday night at ASU's Junell Center in a reenactment of last Thursday's loss to ASU at the WTAMU Event Center. ASU pulled away from a 23-21 halftime score, limiting WTAMU to a season-low field goal percentage and points scored.
Last Thursday, ASU pulled away from a 37-all halftime scored and won going away, 81-66, and this match-up was a mirror image of last week's.
ASU kept its lead in the Lone Star Conference South Division, moving to 7-1 in LSC South action and 19-2 overall. WTAMU slipped to third in the division standings, now at 6-3 in LSC South play and 15-7 overall.
The loss snapped the Lady Buffs' five-game road winning streak, as WTAMU is now 5-3 this season on the road. It was the Lady Buffs' fifth-straight loss at San Angelo and was WTAMU's fourth-consecutive loss overall to ASU and eighth in the last 11 match-ups. WTAMU still leads the all-time series, 25-10.
WTAMU shot a season-low 19.2 percent (5-of-26) from the field, including tying a season-low with only two 3-pointers made and a season-low 3-point percentage, at 2-of-18 (11.1 percent). The Lady Buffs hit 17-of-24 (70.8 percent) from the free throw line.
ASU was 24-of-48 (50.0 percent), including 3-of-10 (30.0 percent) from 3-point land, and 8-of-14 (57.1 percent) from the free throw line.
WTAMU was led by senior forward Vasha Adams' fifth double-double of the season and 11th of her career with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Senior guard Suni Jo Petty added 10 points, including hitting both of the Lady Buffs' 3-pointers. Senior forward Celeste Stevenson netted a season-low five points, after only scoring her previous season-low of eight points in last week's loss to ASU.
The Rambelles were led by Asheia Haynes with 14 points, including 12 in the second half, while Ashley King tallied 11 points and Christina Johnson added 10. ASU's leading scorer, Natalja Tsurbakova was held to only four points, 14.9 below her LSC-leading 18.9 ppg average, but pulled down a team-high nine rebounds and had four blocks.
The first half was a defensive struggle, as both teams combined for 27 turnovers (15 by ASU, 12 by WTAMU).
The Lady Buffs shot a dicy 5-of-26 (19.2 percent) from the field in the first half, but stayed close by shooting 11-of-16 (68.8 percent) from the free throw line. WTAMU was also 0-for-4 from 3-point range, the Lady Buffs' second-straight road game that they didn't make a trey in the first half.
The Rambelles were 9-of-20 (45.0 percent) from the field in the first half, including 1-of-5 (20.0 percent) from behind the 3-point arc. ASU was 4-of-7 (57.1 percent) from the free throw line, all by Nowlin.
The Rambelles charged out to a 13-6 lead before the Lady Buffs battled back to 17-16 with 2:48 left in the half.
ASU head coach Sally Wheeling Brooks, voiced her displeasure to the officials and received a technical foul at the 2:07 mark. Petty hit one-of-two free throws, and when play resumed, Adams hit a pair of free throws to give WTAMU its first lead of the game at 19-17.
The lead grew to 21-17 on two free throws from Pyburn, before Nowlin hit four consecutive free throws, the last pair with 46 seconds left to knot the score at 21-all.
Tsurbakova hit a bucket with 23 seconds left to give ASU a 23-21 lead at intermission.
The flood gates opened as soon as the second half starter, as Haines hit three straight baskets to open a 29-21 Rambelle lead and the Lady Buffs never got any closer than six points at 40-34 on WTAMU's first 3-pointer of the game at the 7:14 mark.
The ASU climbed to its largest at 18 at 54-36 with 3:07 to play and the Rambelles coasted to victory.
WTAMU will head to Abilene, Texas to take on Abilene Christian University on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 6 p.m. ACU is 15-6 overall and 6-2 in LSC South play after beating Eastern New Mexico University, 72-53, Thursday. The Lady Buffs blasted ACU, 80-55, last Saturday at Canyon.
Fans can tune into WTAMU Basketball action on the Buffalo Sports Network on KGNC 710 AM or streamed on the internet at www.gobuffsgo.com.
WTAMU will be on the road next weekend as well, traveling to Wichita Falls, Texas to take on Midwestern State University on Thursday, Feb. 17, before heading to Commerce, Texas to face Texas A&M University-Commerce on Saturday, Feb. 19.
The Lady Buffs and Buffs return home to host Texas A&M University-Kingsville on Thursday, Feb. 24. The WTAMU women conclude regular season action by hosting Texas Woman's University on Saturday, Feb. 26. The world renowned slam dunk acrobatic group "The Extreme Team" will be performing at halftime.
Contact the WTAMU Athletics Ticket Office at 806-651-4424 for ticket information.
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