STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Junior
Tierra Tucker dribbled coast-to-coast for a layup with three seconds to go to send the game into overtime, but Tarleton State converted on two free throws with 1:06 to play in extra time and held Southern Arkansas scoreless to hand the Lady Muleriders their first loss of the season, 72-71, Friday evening at Wisdom Gym.
Trailing 7-4 early in the first half, SAU (0-1) senior
Barvion Wyatt hit a jumper before junior
Shunta Nevitt followed with a free throw and a tip in. Senior
Rebekah Knudson followed with a layup to complete a 7-0 run, giving the Lady Muleriders an 11-7 advantage early.
Despite Tarleton (1-0) holding a 34-33 halftime advantage, The Lady Muleriders limited the TexAnns to 35 percent (10-29) shooting from the field in the first half. SAU also held a 20-10 advantage in first-half points in the paint.
With 1:35 left to play in regulation, senior
Chanel Miller made a layup before TexAnn forward Karli Moore responded with a layup of her own to tie the game at 66. A tip-in from TexAnn forward Ikpeaku Iwobi (19 points) gave Tarleton State a 68-66 lead with 31 seconds to go.
The Lady Muleriders turned the ball over on the next possession and were forced to foul Tarleton with nine seconds left in regulation. TexAnn guard Raven McGrath (11 points) missed both free throws to keep the game within one possession for SAU.
SAU called a timeout before Tucker made the coast-to-coast drive for the game-tying layup with three seconds left to force overtime.
After Knudson converted on a free throw to give the Lady Muleriders a 71-70 lead, Moore sunk both free-throw attempts to give Tarleton a 72-71 advantage with 1:06 to play. McGrath swiped the ball on an
Aarika Reyna drive to seal the game for Tarleton.
Wyatt and Tucker led the Lady Muleriders in scoring with 14 points apiece. Wyatt and Nevitt each grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Miller and Nevitt added 12 and 10 points respectively. The Lady Muleriders shot an impressive 55 percent (29-53) from the field.
SAU outscored Tarleton 44-26 in the paint in the contest and stunted the TexAnn offense to 34 percent (21-62) shooting from the floor.
The Lady Muleriders return to action tomorrow versus Angelo State at noon in Wisdom Gym.