Jan. 22, 2012

Final Stats

LAREDO, Texas - The Texas A&M International University Women's Basketball team (10-9, 2-3 HC) committed 27 turnovers and shot just 40 percent from the field, as the Dustdevils dropped their conference home opener to Arkansas Fort-Smith (11-6, 4-2 HC) Saturday afternoon 83-60.

"We started out with good intensity and energy for the first five minutes and then just played scared the rest of the game," said Head Coach David Beaver. "Our effort and execution was nonexistent and we couldn't get any stops in the second half. You can't be that sloppy and make silly turnovers against a good team and expect to win."

The Dustdevils were out of the gates like a bolt of lightning, jumping out to a 9-2 lead behind jumpers from Amanda Mangan and Nikkitti Scott. The Lions would come back in a hurry though, using a 21-4 run over the next few minutes to take a 10 point lead (13-23). TAMIU trimmed the lead down to seven points, but the Lions pushed it back out to an eleven point lead at halftime (21-32).

The Dustsdevils couldn't contain the visitors in the second half, as the Lions shot 52 percent from the field extending their lead out to 23 points before the final buzzer sounded.

Senior Nikkitti Scott led TAMIU posting her fifth double-double of the season scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 boards. Samantha Chacon and Re'Nikia Meshack each added ten points apiece, while Amanda Mangan finished with nine.

TAMIU slips to 2-3 in conference play as they prepare to travel to San Antonio Thursday, January 26 to take on St. Mary's at 7:30 p.m.