CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah women's basketball team struggled in an 81-55 road matchup with Tarleton State on Jan. 15. The Thunderbirds fall to 11-6 overall with a 3-2 Western Athletic Conference record, while the Texans jump to an even 8-8 overall record and a 2-3 record in the conference.
Head Coach Tracy Mason Said:
"We started extremely slow and couldn't pull ourselves out of it. Our defense wasn't great, we got into foul trouble, and we just couldn't seem to get a stop when we needed it. Tough one tonight, but we need to regroup and get ready for Saturday."
Top T-Birds
- Despite a quiet start to the game, sophomore Sierra Chambers poured in 10 fourth-quarter points, totalling a 16-point game on 62.5% shooting from the field.
- Sophomore Kortney Doman had a great night, recording five rebounds and 11 points with 80% shooting from the field.
- Even though she scored only eight points, junior Ava Uhrich dominated the boards, logging 15 rebounds on the night.
Game Recap
First Half
An 8-2 run for the Texans pushed Tarleton State to an early lead, but two early buckets from junior Brooklyn Fely and two triples from sophomore Kortney Doman allowed Southern Utah to keep it close. Seemingly outmatched on the boards despite their usual success, the Thunderbirds trailed 23-14 after one quarter.
Tarleton continued barreling ahead in the second, extending to a 12-point lead. Chambers and Uhrich scored baskets in the paint to begin an SUU push, but the Texans' defense recovered with a lockdown effort. They held Southern Utah to only a free throw from sophomore Denver Anderson and a late three-pointer from junior Morgan Trigueiro in the final four minutes of the half.
Second Half
The return from halftime spelled disaster for the Thunderbirds, with Tarleton State jumping to an overwhelming 20-point advantage. A triple from freshman Devyn Kiernan broke the spell, spurring a much-needed 7-2 run, but it couldn't save SUU from dropping to a 62-42 deficit by the end of the third quarter.
Down big with little time to spare, Chambers began to catch fire, erupting for 10 fourth-quarter points. However, the offensive output was too little too late as the Thunderbirds fell to the Texans 81-55.
Highlights
Up Next
Southern Utah will continue its Texas road trip with a Saturday, Jan. 17 game against Abilene Christian at noon. The game can be viewed live on ESPN+.
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