Statistically, Angelo State entered this weekend’s LSC Championship tournament as the best offensive and defensive team in the league.
The No. 2 seeded Belles put both aspects on display Friday in their quarterfinal game against TWU, rolling past the Pioneers, thanks to a fast-paced offensive attack, coupled with suffocating defense and controlling the glass.
Together, it was a lethal combination for ASU, which rolled to a win over the Pioneers, 85-57. Angelo State made sure there was no repeat from last year’s nail-biting win over TWU, who nearly pulled the upset as the No. 8 seed, only to fall 75-71 here in Frisco.
But on Friday, ASU left no doubt, using a 27-0 fast-break advantage to pull away and not look back. Angelo State led the LSC in scoring at 79.1 points per game, and scoring defense, allowing 60.6 points. The Belles were able to improve on both stats with this victory.
The win completed a three-game sweep of the Pioneers, who were overmatched by the Belles all season, losing by 23 and 31 in the regular season, before the 28-point loss on Friday.
Angelo State will move on to Friday’s semifinal round to face No. 3 seed Tarleton State. The Belles won both regular-season meetings over the TexAnns and will look for a third win Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. for a shot at Sunday’s final. The game could also be a preview for a possible matchup in the upcoming regional tournament as ASU and TSU are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in the latest South Central regional rankings.
The season ends for TWU at 10-19.
The Pioneers scored first and grabbed a 2-0 lead, but that would be the last time to be in front as the Belles used their speed, thanks to the play of guard Marquita Daniels, who finished with a game-high 20 points, to go along with 11 rebounds. Daniels had several breakaway layups, helping ASU to a 16-0 advantage in fast-break points in the first half.
Three other ASU players finished the game in double digits, including Dezirae Hampton scoring 17, Asia Davis with 15 points and Catara Samuel came off the bench with 14. Essence Johnson had 11 rebounds.
The Pioneers got 12 points from Ma’K’La Woods and 10 each from London Archer and Carissa Moody, who also had 16 rebounds.
Angelo State Notes:
- ASU became the second team in conference history to win 30 games in LSC Championship play, improving to 30-24 in all-time tournament games.
- The program is seeking its sixth LSC tournament title and first since 2016.
- ASU knocked off TWU in the quarterfinal round for the second straight year. In 2018, the Belles were the No. 1 seed and edged 8th seed TWU, 75-71 in Frisco.
- The Belles improved to 12-0 this year when eclipsing 80 points. ASU is coming of 113 points in its regular-season finale win at Cameron, the most points scored by an ASU team in regulation.
- ASU has won five straight games, marking the fourth time this year with a streak of at least five. The Belles did have an eight-game winning streak in LSC play.
- Daniels set a season-high with 11 rebounds, posting her first double-double of the season with her 20 points. Daniels reached the 20-point plateau for the eighth team this year.
- Like Daniels, Essence Johnson also set a season-high with 11 rebounds.
- Catara Samuel nearly matched her season-high in points with 14. She had 15 against UTPB earlier this year.
Texas Woman’s Notes:
- Carissa Moody set a season high with 16 rebounds and posted her 12th double-double of the season.
- London Archer nearly recorded her third double-double of the season, netting 10 points and nine rebounds.
- The Pioneers entered the LSC Championship as the best free-throw shooting team in the conference at 74.6 from the line. On Friday, TWU fell short of that mark, making just 13 of 19 (68.4).
- The Pioneers have now lost three straight quarterfinal games in the LSC Championship. TWU’s last tournament occurred in 2016, where they were eventually eliminated in the semis by ASU.
- TWU is still one of seven current LSC members with an LSC tournament title, cutting down the nets in 2011 in Bartlesville, Okla.