WBB Season Ends 87-75 To LSUA
The Eagles' turnaround season came to an end Sunday afternoon with a loss to LSUA in the semifinals of the RRAC Tournament. The second-year program finished the season at 11-7, a win in and of itself after TAMUT only won 4 games in their inaugural '19-'20 season. Kevin Dobbs was named the RRAC WBB Coach of the Year.
Both teams would come out of the gates firing off hot. Naomi Tekleab knocked down three to open up the game. LSUA's Maddie Smith would match that on the other end to make it a 3-3 game. It was a back and forth battle the entire first half with both teams answering one another stride for stride. TAMUT would take a 14-12 lead at the end of quarter number one. The Eagles hit on 3-6 three-point field goals. RRAC leading scorer Kelsey Thaxton was held to zero points after the first quarter of play.
The Generals scored 4 quick points to start the second quarter and move the score to 16-14. With 8:33 left in the second, Alexia Matheus (FR/Trophy Club, TX) scored the Eagles first points of the 2nd quarter when she was fouled and converted 1-of-2 free throws to put the game at 16-15 in favor of LSUA. It was a sluggish second quarter for both teams with it only being a 24-24 game at the end of two. LSUA shot 25 percent (8-31) from the field with TAMUT shooting at a 19 percent clip (6-31) in the first half of play.
LSUA's Cierra Daniels led all scorers with 10 points. Taylor Hardin (FR/Fouke, AR) and Alexia Matheus paced the Eagles with 4 points each. The Eagles won the battle of the boards 27-26.
The Generals started off the third with a 3-0 run, however, Naomi Tekleab would knock down a three and on the next play defensive player of the year Morgan Strawder stole the ball and scored on the fastbreak for a 29-26 Eagle lead. Hardin hit a big three with 6:20 left in the third to extend the Eagles lead 39-31. After much improved play compared to the first half, the Generals would take a slight 50-49 lead heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
Taylor Howell (SO/Denton, TX) scored a quick two points to start the fourth. Haley Stilson (SO/West Herriman, UT) came up big a the 7:20 mark to tie it up 56-56. LSUA had their biggest lead of the game at 74-66 at the 2:25 mark. The Eagles would never make that up as LSUA pulled away and ended TAMUT's season 87-75.
TAMUT was led by Morgan Strawder (FR/Missouri City, TX) with 13 points and seven rebounds. Three other Eagles scored in double-figures including Taylor Hardin (12), Yasmine Arogunjo (JR/Houston, TX) (11), and Naomi Tekleab (SO/Sugarland, TX) (11).
Strawder was names to the RRAC All-tournament Team.
TAMUT shot 27/76 (35%) from the field and 13/23 (56%) from beyond the arc.