Poor second half dooms WT

The #22 ranked WTAMU women’s basketball team was on the road Dec 31 taking on #1 ranked Delta State in Cleveland, Miss. For the second straight game, the Lady Buffs held a lead early on, but lacked execution in the second half as DSU claimed a 67-60 victory to remain undefeated on the season. The loss is WTAMU’s third straight, which is a first for the Lady Buffs since 2002 under former coach Bob Schneider. WT held a 9-8 lead with 12:41 left in the first half before junior Ashley Leven scored to help spark a 13-5 run that propelled the Lady Buffs to a 22-13 lead with 7:35 remaining. DSU countered with a 9-0 run of their own to tie the game at 22-22 with 6:00 left in the half. Before the half, the Lady Buffs went on a 10-0 run that helped them grab a 34-28 going into the locker room. The second half seemed like déjà vu from WT’s last game as DSU came out strong and claimed a 36-34 lead with 15:11 remaining. WT was within striking distance at 47-46 with 9:17 remaining in the contest. However, that would be as close as the Lady Buffs got to the Lady Statesmen as DSU hit clutch shots down the stretch to claim a 67-60 victory over the Lady Buffs. Leading the scoring for the Lady Buffs on the night was junior Jamie Simmons with 20 points followed by freshman Ariel Robertson with 16 points. Senior Megan McLain finished with 10 points. WT’s overall record now stands at 6-5 on the season. The Lady Buffs will be back in action Jan 6 against Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Tip-off from Bloomer Sullivan Arena in Durant, Okla. Is scheduled for 6 p.m.