Women's Basketball
Riles led all scorers with 19 points in her final game as a Maverick. |
MAVERICKS FALL 77-67 TO UTSA IN SEMIFINALS OF SLC TOURNAMENT
March 14, 2008
Katy, Texas - The UT Arlington women's basketball team fell 77-67 to the third-seeded UTSA Roadrunners in the semifinals of the Southland Confernence Tournament at the Merrell Center on Friday.
Senior Tiffeny Riled led all players with 19 points. Onika Anderson led the Roadrunners with 17 points and recorded the double-double with 10 rebounds on the day.
"I thought our kids came prepared to play," said head coach Samantha Morrow. "They (UTSA) hit some big shots in the second half that we couldn't come back and match. They are a very good team and for whatever reason, we don't match up with them as well as we may against some other teams. I can't say it was a lack of effort from our kids - I thought they played real hard and battled, no matter what the score was."
Both UTA and UTSA kept pace with one another through the majority of the first half with neither team building more than a five point lead.
Junior Candice Champion converted on an old fashion three-point play with 2:23 left in the first half and freshman Tamara Simmons followed with a shot from beyond the arch to give the Mavs a four point advantage at 33-29.
UTSA used a 7-2 run in the last two minutes of the half to take a one-point lead into the locker room at the break.
The Roadruners came out in the second half with another 7-2 run to push their led to six at 43-37, but a putback by Champion and a tre from Maryann Abanobi at the 13:29 mark cut UTSA's lead to two.
A three from Terrie Davis gave the Roadrunners a temporaory 11-point lead, but the Mavericks quickly countered with a jumper from Shalyn Martin and a layup from Riles to cut the lead to seven.
Down the stretch UTSA was able to seal the win from the free-throw line hitting 4-of-6 in the final minute and half to win by ten.
Martin and Abanobi both scored 15 points on the daym while Champion led all players with 13 rebounds. The Mavs did win the battle of the boards out rebounding the 'Runners 40-30.
