- Box Score

SAN ANGELO – The Tarleton women's basketball team ended the 2010-11 regular season with a disappointing 70-57 loss to Angelo State Saturday night.

The TexAnns entered the game looking to make history with the first undefeated conference season in program history.

Angelo State scored first on their home court, but it was after 1:45 of quality defense by both teams. Tarleton responded quickly though with a 6-0 run, getting baskets from Sonya Sundberg, Brittnie Haley, and Kelsey Benford.

The TexAnns held a 6-3 lead heading into the first media time out, with Tarleton and Angelo State battling it out underneath.

Another Rambelle free throw made it 6-4 in Tarleton's favor with under 14 minutes remaining as both teams struggled with turnovers.

The TexAnns found themselves in a 3:10 drought and down one before a pair of Benford lay ups put Tarleton back up 10-7 with 12:50 remaining in the first half.

The streak didn't last long though as that was followed up with another 3:34 drought by the TexAnns, with Angelo State pulling out to a 13-10 advantage.

As the third media time out rolled around, Tarleton still trailed ASU 15-12. The TexAnns struggled to put consecutive baskets together and went to their bench early for help.

Before Tarleton knew it, head coach Ronnie Hearne had to call a time out at the 5:20 mark to stop an 8-2 Rambelle run. The visiting TexAnns found themselves in unfamiliar territory, down 23-16.

A Tara Towns lay up with 3:41 left on the clock ended another three minute stretch for Tarleton in which they were unable to cut away at the deficit. She added a free throw and a fast-break lay up to make it just a two-point game, 23-21.

The first half ended uneventfully as the TexAnns entered the break down 25-23.

Tarleton shot just 34.5 percent from the floor and went 0-for-7 from the three-point line. The TexAnns committed 12 turnovers while recording only three assists.

Benford and Haley both had six points and four rebounds to lead Tarleton, while Kiara Wright added four points and four rebounds.

The Rambelles shot just a fraction better in the first half with a 35.6 percent and only got points from four players. The ended the last 5:20 without a field goal, yet still held a two-point advantage over the TexAnns.

ASU came out of the gate firing in the second half and put together a 9-2 run in the first 2:30 of play.

Benford ended the Rambelles run with a lay up at the 18:15 mark and followed that up with a pair of free throws. The senior center had all four of the TexAnns points through the first 3:43.

That is when both teams began trading baskets as Towns hit a pair of three-pointers, one of which was matched by ASU.

At the first media time out, Tarleton still trailed the Rambelles 37-33, but the game was far from over.

The TexAnns began to put together a little run of their own as the 7-3 run kept Tarleton within reach of the host Rambelles, but a three-pointer by ASU's Paige Weishuhn put a dagger in the hearts of TexAnn fans.

Once again, defense took a back-seat as the TexAnns and Rambelles exchanged baskets in an up-temp style of play.

Tarleton continued to cut away at the lead behind consecutive baskets by Shelby Adamson at the 10:32 mark, which happened to be her first points of the game.

Adamson went on a tear for the TexAnns, scoring eight straight points for Tarleton.

As the game progressed and the clock ticked under five minutes, the TexAnns were unable to get any traction offensively. Meanwhile, ASU's shots fell from everywhere on the court.

With 4:32 on the clock, Tarleton found themselves down 10 with all the momentum in the Rambelles' favor.

The final media time out of the game came and went with the TexAnns beginning to feel the heat, down 64-55.

Desperation set in when Tarleton's leading scorer Adamson fouled out of the game with 2:13 on the clock and a 10-point ASU lead.

Saturday night was an unfortunate way to end the most historic regular season in Tarleton history as the visiting TexAnns fell 70-57.

Tarleton just did not have enough down the stretch and on the road as they dropped their first LSC South Division game of the season and their first loss in 14 games.

The TexAnns struggled in every aspect of the game and came up short on the scoreboard.

Tarleton shot 34.4 percent from the floor, 25.0 percent from behind the arc, and 69.2 percent from the charity stripe. The TexAnns did out-rebound the Rambelles 34-33, but shot 13 fewer free throw attempts in the game.

Towns led Tarleton with 14 points and six steals, both career highs for the Dublin native. Benford added 12 points and six boards, while Haley added 10 points and seven boards. As a team, the TexAnns committed 17 turnovers in the game, compared to just 10 assists.

Tarleton failed to maintain Paige Weishuhn and Camille Perkins from ASU, who scored 22 and 25 points respectively. Wieshuhn also contributed nine rebounds and four blocks.

The Rambelles shot 63.2 percent and went 16-of-18 from the line in the second half.

The TexAnns finish the regular season 23-3 overall and 13-1 in the LSC South.

Head coach Ronnie Hearne talked about the disappointing loss after the game.

“Angelo played only six girls, but Wieshuhn and Perkins killed us,” said Hearne. “They shot 63.2 percent in the second half and we were never able to get momentum. We did a poor job guarding them and unfortunately we couldn't come back.”

“It was unfortunate because the girls have put in so much work this season and we had a good shot at going undefeated,” said Hearne. “We aren't done though and we have to go back and prepare for the conference tournament next week.”

Tarleton will play in the first round of the LSC Tourney at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Bartlesville, Okla. Their opponent has yet to be determined.