Women's Basketball
Maryann Abanobi led the Mavs to victory with 19 points against the Cowgirls. |
MAVERICKS ADVANCE IN SLC TOURNAMENT WITH 82-68 WIN OVER MCNEESE STATE
March 12, 2008
Katy, Texas - The UT Arlington women's basketball team won 82-68 over McNeese State in the opening game of the Southland Conference Championship at the Merrell Center on Wednesday. The Mavs (19-9, 13-3) advance to the semifinals where they will meet the winner of the UTSA-Northwestern State game.
"For a noon game in the first round with a lot of young players," said head coach Samantha Morrow "I think we kept our composure real well. I thought that McNeese shot the ball extremely well and gave us everything they had. I was just really proud that our players were able to hang in there and know down some shots right before half and held on for a win."
Senior Maryann Abanobi led five UTA players in double-digits with 19 points, hitting 7-of-13 from the floor and 2-of-5 from beyond the arch.
McNeese State's Brittany Boone hit a three point shot 30 seconds into the game, but neither team could find the basket until Shalyn Martin, who finished with 15 points, sank a layup at the 17:16 mark.
Over the next four minutes the Cowgirls managed to stay one point ahead of the Mavericks until Abanobi hit a jumper and then added a steal and a fast break layup to spark an 11-2 UTA run to lead by five at 23-18.
Junior Candice Champion, who ended the game with 16 points and eight rebounds, converted on an old fashion three-point play with 8:15 left on the clock to put the Mavs up by six. The Cowgirls countered with eight unanswered points to take a two-point advantage with 5:40 on the clock.
In the final five minutes of the first half the Mavs clamped down on defense and outscored the Cowgirls 14-to-4 to lead 44-34 at the midway point. Forward Erin Dixon hit UTA's last shot of the half with nine second left to give the Mavs the momentum heading into the locker room.
UTA opened the second half on an 11-5 run to extend its lead to 16 (55-39). A 9-0 by the Cowgirls midway through the second half brought them to within seven. The Mavs quickly countered with an 11-4 run to bring their lead back to 13 at 72-59.
The Mavs closed out the game by outscoring the Cowgirls 10-7 to secure the win 82-68 and advance to the semifinal game, which will be played at noon on Friday.
UTA finished the day shooting 54 percent from the floor and won the battle of the boards outrebounding the Cowgirls 40-25. Dixon led the Mavs with eight rebounds, while freshman Tamara Simmons chipped in with five.
