LAREDO, Texas (January 19, 2017) - The Texas A&M International University Women's Basketball team hosted Newman University at the KCB on Thursday night. The Dustdevils were dealt a 48-67 loss, moving to 1-16 overall (1-6 Heartland Conference).
First Half:
The Dustdevils and Jets combined for 55 first-half points in Thursday's matchup. After 10 minutes of play, the Dustdevils trailed 14-16. The Dustdevil defense held the Jets to 14 points in the second quarter but were held to just 11, allowing Newman to take a 30-25 lead into the half.
Unique Finley powered the offensive charge for TAMIU, shooting 3-4 from the field, connecting on three baskets from behind the arc.
Joanna Perez added eight first half points.
Second Half:
Newman extended their halftime lead to 12 with 4:05 remaining in the third quarter before TAMIU battled to being the game within six. After 30 minutes of play, TAMIU trailed 37-45. The fourth quarter saw Newman stretch their lead, outscoring TAMIU 22-11. At the final buzzer, TAMIU trailed 48-67.
Nayiri Aslanian matched Finley's nine points in the second half, adding a block, rebound, and assist.
Aslanian, Finley, and Perez all finished with 10 points or more in the game.
Hannah Beede picked up a team high nine rebounds while
Jessica Alvarez added seven in the loss.
Coaches Corner:
Head Coach
Jeff Caha commented after the game, "I really appreciated the effort out of our girls tonight, I thought we fought hard and had a letdown for about two minutes in the fourth that blew the game open tonight. It might have been the most fun I've had coaching this team. They were locked in but not so serious that they lived and died on each play. The girls played loose and I thought that helped us stay close. Combine that with the good crowd and we had it made for a good game. Now we turn our focus to Saturday."
Up Next:
The Dustdevils continue play at home on Saturday. TAMIU hosts Oklahoma Panhandle on Military Appreciation Day. Tip-off is set for 1pm in the TAMIU KCB.
Stay Tuned:
The Dustdevils can be followed all season long on GoDustdevils.com, and on social media. Follow @TAMIUAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat for exclusive content.
