by LAWTON, Okla. – Behind a program record eight three pointers made from Ava Battese (Comanche/PBPN), the Cameron women’s basketball team notched their first Lone Star Conference win of the season on Thursday night, beating Tarleton State 83-79.
The junior from Elgin, Okla. entered the game needing just 13 three pointers to tie the career record at Cameron, and ended up cutting that number down to five with her performance against the TexAnns. Battese finished just two points shy of her career-high with 27 points, going 9-15 from the floor, 8-13 from the perimeter, 1-2 from the foul line. She led an Aggie team that made 14 three pointers, two shy of the program record.
The game started with the Aggies blitzing in five first-quarter three balls, to hold a nine-point lead at the end of one. The Aggies once led by 14 in the first frame. A sloppy second quarter allowed the Texaans to tie the ball game at 31-all at the second quarter media timeout. The Aggies were able to take a 41-37 lead into the halftime break after going on a 10-6 run after that under-five-minute media timeout.
Against a tough Tarleton State squad, the Aggies led for over 18-minutes in the first half. TSU’s Katie Webster posted 17 points in the first half, with a 50-percent usage percentage, getting to the line for seven free throws in the first half of play. Webster was able to keep the TexAnns in the game with her effort.
In the third quarter, a frame that usually is not too kind to the Aggies, Cameron was able to stretch their lead to 14 points, matching their game high, thanks to a trio of threes from Battese. Kaylee Allen stepped up for the Texanns in the third quarter, turning in nine points in the third quarter alone matching her first half total. She was one of only three TexAnns to reach double figures tonight.
The Aggies won the third quarter 27-17, winning that frame for just the third time all year, which gave the Aggies momentum heading into a critical fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Misty Wilson instructed the Texanns to deploy a full-court press, and the Aggies responded well. In the half-court set, however, Cameron went cold allowing the Texanns to get back within four after a nine-point run. The Texanns would not go away, as they drew within two with a minute and twenty-six seconds left after a 16-5 run by TSU. With 35 ticks left and seven seconds on the shot clock, Maighan Hedge was able to run into the lane and flip home a layup to put the Aggies up by four. With eleven seconds left, Kylie Collins split a pair of free throws to make it a three-point game. At the nine second mark, Cameron got one of four free throws to drop and ice a four-point win.
Lejha Smith broke out in the second half. After a quiet first half, Smith was able to make an impact on the boards, and defensively as well as a few key and-one buckets that helped lift the Aggies in this one. Smith finished with a stat line of 9-points, 10-rebounds, and a trio of huge blocks defensively.
The Aggies saw eight different members get on the scoreboard tonight, with a pair of Aggies, Battese and Hedge, pour in over 20-points; 27 and 21 respectively.
Cameron is now 4-7 on the season and 1-2 in LSC play, while Tarleton moves to 8-3 overall and 1-2 against league opponents.
