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Dec. 19, 2004

Box Score

HONOLULU, Hawaii -- The No. 21 West Texas A&M University women's basketball team outscored Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 27-10, in the opening 11 minutes of the second half to pull away for a 64-52 win Sunday at the Hoop `N Surf Tournament at Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Lady Buffs had four players in double-digits, led by 15 points apiece from senior forward Celeste Stevenson and junior guard Sassy Pyburn, while senior guard Suni Jo Petty and senior forward Vasha Adams tallied 10 points each. Adams also pulled down a team-high 13 rebounds to record a double-double, her first of the season and seventh of her career. Stevenson also notched eight rebounds for WTAMU, which was edged by SIUE, 49-48 in the rebounding department.

The WTAMU defensive pressure held SIUE to just 22.9 percent field goal shooting (8-35) in the second half and forced 19 Cougar turnovers.

SIUE finished the game shooting 20-64 (31.3 percent) from the field, including 3-17 (17.6 percent) behind the 3-point arc.

WTAMU shot 48.3 percent in the second half (14-29) to finish 26-67 (38.8 percent) from the floor. The Lady Buffs were 7-20 (35.0 percent) from 3-point land and a season-low 5-17 (29.4 percent) from the free throw line.

The Lady Buffs opened the game with a 17-9 lead capped by a layup sophomore forward Natalie Wheeler at 12:39, only to see the Cougars come back and eventually take a 30-29 halftime lead.

WTAMU scored first in the second half, as Stevenson hit a layup at the 18:45 point to give the Lady Buffs the lead for good at 31-30.

Holding a slim 35-32 lead at 16:35, WTAMU went on a 9-0 streak capped by a steal from Adams, which led to a layup from junior forward Keisha Monroe off a touch pass from Petty to take a 44-32 lead with 12:29 to go.

The Lady Buffs took their largest lead of the game at 56-40 after a layup from Stevenson at 8:58.

The closest SIUE got the rest of the game was with 3:20 to go at 59-52, but WTAMU held off the Cougars to record the win.

WTAMU will take on Northwest Missouri State University on Monday, at 1 p.m. Central Time. NWMSU is 7-3 on the year after blowing out Harding University, 85-52, earlier Sunday.

The Lady Buffs return home to host Adams State College on Thursday, Dec. 30 at 6 p.m., followed by the WTAMU men vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State University at 8 p.m.

-WT-