BOX SCORE

ABILENE, Texas – The Angelo State women's basketball team cut a 16 point halftime deficit down to three before Abilene Christian pulled away for a 74-65 win at Moody Coliseum in Abilene.  

"We showed some fight tonight," head coach Sally Walling Brooks said after the game. "We have to keep working to get better. We need consistent contributions from every player that steps on the floor."

ASU (7-10, 4-7 LSC) chipped away at Abilene Christian's (14-3, 9-2 LSC) 16 point lead by shooting 57.6-percent (27-54) in the second half. The Belles shot 50.0-percent for the game but ACU was just as hot shooting 54.3-percent for the game.

ASU used an 11-3 run to start the second half that trimmed the score to 42-33 at the 15:18 mark of the second half. Faith Hunt capped an 8-2 run with a steal and a layup with a minute to go to cut ACU's lead to 68-65. ACU scored the final six points of the game to pull away. The Belles scored 43 points in the second half compared to just 22 in the first.

Leah LeMaire scored 11 of her 15 points in the second half while Lauren Holt, Haylee Oliver and Morgan Youngblood each scored 8 apiece. ASU limited turnovers with only six in the second half but were hurt by only shooting 42.1-percent (8-19) from the free-throw line.  

The Belles had a good start to the game jumping out to a 9-6 lead through the first three minutes of play. After going scoreless in the first game, Oliver scored five points early to spark the Belles.

ASU took a 17-15 lead on a Lauren Holt basket with 8:26 to go in the half. The Belles would hit a cold spell only scoring five points the rest of the way. Abilene Christian went on a 23-5 run to end the half and take a 38-22 halftime lead.

The Belles were plagued by 15 first half turnovers that led to 15 Abilene Christian points.

Holt, LeMaire and Oliver all scored game-high 15 points and Karli Kellermeier chipped in a career high 10 points. Youngblood finished with eight points and nine rebounds.



Four Wildcats scored in double-figures with Mackenzie Lankford and Renata Marquez leading the way with 12 points each.

The Belles will return to the court on Wednesday, January 30 at Stephens Arena in the Junell Center to face Eastern New Mexico at 5:30 p.m.