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WICHITA FALLS, Texas – An early statement was shouted to the NCAA Division II women's basketball world, courtesy of Texas A&M International on Tuesday night. The Dustdevils visited the No. 10-ranked Midwestern State Mustangs and came away with a signature win in the season's first game.
TAMIU took down the mighty top-25 ranked Mustangs, 84-75, in front of nearly 500 stunned spectators – standing as the program's only victory over a top-25 opponent in its history. The Dustdevils' 84 points stand as their highest point total since Feb. 9, 2012, when they buried 86 points against Oklahoma Panhandle State.
Senior guard Samantha Chacon accounted for nearly 30 percent of the Dustdevils' highest point total in 21 months. Chacon sunk 25 points on 9-for-14 shooting from the field and 3-for-4 from the 3-point line. She collected a perfect night at the free throw line, going 4-for-4 after being fouled. The feisty guard played every minute of the game, reeling in five rebounds on defense and dealing out five assists.
Chacon's 25 points in the Dustdevils' season opener nearly doubles her scoring average from 2012, where she posted 12.7 points per game. As a sophomore, she averaged 11.9 points per game.
Behind Chacon's resounding performance, Tina Dang (14 points) and Alexis Thomas (11 points) posted double-digit totals. Dang shot 5-for-11 from the field, burying 3-for-5 from long range. She went 1-for-1 from the foul line. Thomas ripped the net with 4-for-7 shooting from the field and 2-for-3 from the 3-point line.
Most notably for Thomas was her presence off the boards. The 5-foot-9-inch junior guard gobbled 13 rebounds on top of her offensive performace.
Jessica Woo played only 15 minutes but added nine points, and Jessica Prieto – one of only two underclassmen on the team – contributed eight points in 21 minutes.
Malika Jackson and Mason Hawk each threw down six points, while Re'Nikia Meshack (3 points) and Samone Davis (2 points) rounded out the Dustdevils' scorebook – making sure that every TAMIU player scored at least a point.
TAMIU shot 50 percent from downtown and just slightly less – 48.3 percent – from the field. They were an unshakeable 78.3 percent from the free throw line.
With 15 minutes left in the game, the Dustdevils led by 28 points and only allowed their score to be tied or overcome five times in the game.
The Dustdevils pounded the paint with 32 points, while 31 came from non-starters – including Dang and Woo. TAMIU took advantage of 13 points off Midwestern State turnovers and scored seven second-chance points of its own.
The Dustdevils held the Mustangs to just 40.6 percent shooting from the field and an anorexic 30 percent from behind the arc.
The now 1-0 Dustdevils will wrap their season-opening road trip with a matchup against Texas A&M-Commerce on Nov. 14 at 5:30 p.m. They will then open at the TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Building against Eastern New Mexico on Nov. 18 at 7 p.m.
