- Box Score
ABILENE – The Tarleton women's basketball team won their 2011 conference opener 75-65 at Abilene Christian, improving their record to 11-2 on the season.
The Wildcats (3-10) took an early lead on the TexAnns, but Tarleton found ways to stay in the game. At the 17:37 mark, ACU was leading the TexAnns 9-4, but five straight Shelby Adamson points tied the game up at nine apiece with 16:21 on the clock.
Over the next four minutes, the Wildcats were able to gain a little momentum in front of their home crowd as freshman Mack Lankford exploded for seven of ACU's next 11 points, putting Tarleton in a 20-15 hole.
But with yet another spurt by Adamson, the TexAnns climbed back into the game, tying ACU at 22-22 with 9:37 remaining in the first half. During a 1:22 stretch, Adamson scored seven straight points for Tarleton, with the Wildcats finding it nearly impossible to stop the junior guard.
Tarleton was finally able to take their first lead of the game at the 5:35 mark on a Morgan Stehling layup amidst a seven-point TexAnn run.
The Wildcats found themselves playing catch-up for the rest of the half as Tarleton maintained a slim advantage over the last five minutes. The two teams entered the half with the TexAnns leading narrowly 38-36.
Tarleton was led over the first 20 minutes by Adamson, who scored a season-high for a single half with 18 points. Benford added seven points to Tarleton's efforts, while Brittnie Haley grabbed four boards.
The TexAnns shot just 35.2 percent from the field and 25 percent from behind the arc, but hit 11 free throws compared to ACU's four free throws. Tarleton let the Wildcats shoot 36.6 percent from the field, and allowed Mack Lankford to score 14 points to lead ACU.
As the TexAnns entered the second half with just a two-point lead on a 3-9 team, Tarleton knew they would have to overcome costly turnovers and hasty shots.
ACU struck first in the second half, taking back the lead in just over a minute of play, but the TexAnns and Wildcats continued to trade leads heading into the first media time out.
Tarleton fell into a rut offensively which allowed ACU to take a 48-44 lead at the 13:39 mark. Fortunately, the TexAnns were able to tie the game back up at 48-48 with 10:15 to play in the game on a pair of Tara Towns' lay-ups.
Despite having a career first half, Adamson was blanketed in the second half, not scoring until 7:42 remained in the game. Instead it was Towns who fought Tarleton back into the game with nine second half points in a five minute stretch. The TexAnns found themselves up 59-55 with six minutes left in the contest, and needed to keep their pedal to the floor if they were going to win their first Lone Star Conference South Division game of the season.
Tarleton was able to do just that as they finished the last 3:30 of the contest on a 13-6 run.
The TexAnns won their 2011 LSC South Division conference opener 75-65 in what was a close game for the most part. That makes five of their last six openers under head coach Ronnie Hearne victories, as Hearne defeated his alma mater on his birthday of all days.
Adamson had a career-high of 29 points, with 18 of those points coming in the first half. The performance broke her previous career high of 26 set earlier this season in a 74-64 victory over Lubbock Christian on Nov. 18.
Towns proved to be the hero in the second half, scoring all 14 of her points in the final 20 minutes. Wright added 10 points and eight boards for the TexAnns, while Haley grabbed seven rebounds.
As a team, Tarleton shot just 35.7 percent in the game, but hit 19 free throws in the contest, many of which came in the final minutes to seal the victory. The TexAnns held the Wildcats to just 33.8 percent from the floor and a ghastly 16.7 percent from downtown.
Holding a home-court advantage, it was no surprise that ACU out-scored Tarleton in the paint, but the TexAnns dominated with 12 more points off turnovers and 14 more bench points.
Adamson was asked about the stellar conference opener after the game.
“It was a huge win for us and it felt great,” said Adamson. “It's so important to get off to a good start in conference games and it was big for us to get the win tonight. It gives us momentum when we go home to play Angelo State Saturday.”
Despite Hearne's homecoming on his birthday, he was not eager to make it public knowledge.
“Coach (Hearne) was trying to hide that it was his birthday, but we got a win and that's our gift to him,” said Adamson.
For ACU, freshman Mack Lankford out of Weatherford was a hassle in the first half, but the TexAnns were able to limit her quality touches in the second half. Lankford finished with 16 points, only two of which came in the final 20 minutes, while Renata Marquez contributed 14 points and nine rebounds and Autumn Whitaker contributed 10 points. Normally a threat from the three-point line, the Wildcats shot just 16.7 percent and 68.2 from the charity stripe.
“We scouted (Lankford) a lot going into the game, but were able to get a hand in her face in the second half,” said Adamson on shutting down the dangerous freshman.
The TexAnns will return home to host Angelo State Saturday, Jan. 15 in Wisdom Gym. Tip-off is at 5 p.m. so come out and show your support for the Tarleton women's basketball program.
