STEPHENVILLE, Texas– A season-high 23 points from Tomekia Whitman and a career-high performance from Daylani Ballena pushed the Southern Utah University women's basketball team over Tarleton State Saturday afternoon in overtime 80-78. With the win, the Thunderbirds improve to (18-9; WAC 14-2), while the Texans fall to (7-21; WAC 1-16). 

TBird Tidbits 

• SUU outshot the Texans 52.5 percent to 34.2 percent while racking up 30 points in the paint. 
• Southern Utah stayed hot the entire night from downtown shooting 53.8 percent compared to Tarletons 40.9 percent. 
• The Thunderbirds were dominant when protecting the rim, the entire night recording 10 blocks.  

Whitman was a difference maker for the Thunderbirds off the bench, leading the way in scoring while recording a game-high three blocks, two assists, and five rebounds. Ballena tied her career-high in scoring set last year with 22 points, four assists, and four rebounds. Samantha Johnston continued to show her dominance from three-point range, scoring 16 points on 4-6 shooting from downtown, with two assists and three rebounds. 

First Half 

In their final road game of the regular season, the Thunderbirds exploded out of the gate on a 9-0 run, as Megan Jensen and Ballena both hit jumpers, and Johnston struck from three before sinking a mid-range jumper at the 7:48 mark in the first quarter. 

After Tarleton got their first buckets of the game from two free throws, Southern Utah extended its lead to double digits off a Lizzy Williamson turnaround layup and a top-of-the-key three-pointer from Whitman, giving SUU a double-digit lead,14-4, heading into their first media timeout with 4:17 left in the first quarter. 

Coming out of the timeout, the Texans started to find life, connecting with a three-pointer and two jumpers, but the Thunderbirds would close out the quarter with layups from Whitman and Jensen to give SUU the 22-13 after one quarter. 

Southern Utah continued to build up steam offensively to start the second quarter, jolting on a 6-2 run, highlighted by a pick pocketing steal from Whitman for a fast-break layup and Johnston's second three-pointer of the game, putting the Thunderbirds in front 29-18 midway through the second quarter. 

Tarleton quickly started to find an answer and rocketed onto a 17-4 run off three possessions with triples and a flurry of free throws to bring the home side within one point with 1:35 left on the clock before Ballena hit a mid-range jumper to make the score 35-32 going into halftime. 

Second Half

The Thunderbirds came out of the half composed and responded with an 11-3 run as Williamson muscled in a layup, Whitman hit a jumper, and Ballena and Johnston drained back-to-back three-pointers to extend SUU's lead back to double figures 46-35, forcing a Tarleton timeout at the 6:10 mark. 

Both teams began to catch fire from behind the arc as TSU recorded three straight possessions with threes to trim the Thunderbird's lead to 50-44, but Whitman would immediately answer with a deep three of her own to extend the lead back to nine 53-44, with 4:03 left in the quarter. 

Following a two-minute scoring drought from each side, Tarleton would find a response with another three-pointer and two layups to bring the score back to 55-51 at the end of the third. 

SUU began the fourth quarter strong as Whitman and Johnston each canned a jumper. The Texans kept finding answers and hit two jumpers and a three to cut the lead down to 61-58 with two minutes into the period, making the Thunderbirds call a timeout. 

Coming out of  the timeout, Tarleton grabbed their first lead of the game, 66-65, with 3:57 minutes remaining. On the next possession, Ballena came right back by going straight to the rim and forcing a foul for two free throws and a mid-range jumper on the next possession to give SUU back the lead, 69-68, with 3:06 left. 

As the clock ticked under three minutes to play, Tarleton tied it back up by splitting two free throws before Cherita Daugherty hit a mid-range jumper to put the Thunderbirds on top 71-69 with under 1:26 to play. The following possession, TSU, would hit a floater in the middle of the key to bring both team's level and force overtime. 

Overtime 

 Johnston opened overtime with a triple to give the Thunderbirds the early 74-71 edge. Tarleton would take back the advantage with two layups and a free throw to go back on top up with 76-74 with 3:35 on the clock. 

After Jensen hit a layup to tie the game, Ballena would take control, splashing a mid-range jumper and getting to the free throw line with force for two free throws to help clinch the narrow 80-78 victory. 

Up Next

Southern Utah will return home for their two regular season games against California Baptist on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 6:30 p.m. MST, before taking on the Grand Canyon Lopes on Thursday, Mar. 2 at 6:30 p.m. MST for senior night. 

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