HOUSTON – HBU shot 13.3 percent (2-for-15) in quarters two and four as UT Arlington outscored the Huskies, 37-9, in that span in a 64-40 UTA win over HBU Saturday afternoon from Sharp Gym.
Monet Neal scored a game-high 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting, 3-of-6 from the free throw line, and hitting her first three-pointer since Baylor two seasons ago.
Anna Strickland posted her sixth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds, as she also hit a three-pointer, the first in her HBU career. As a team, HBU shot 36 percent (16-for-44) from the floor.
Along with the point discrepancy in the two quarters, another key stat of the game was point off turnovers. HBU (24) and UTA (20) were nearly even in turnovers, but the Lady Mavericks took advantage, as they outscored the Huskies, 31-13, in points off takeaways.
UTA (4-5) was led by Rebekah VanDijk who had a double-double of 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Leading scorer Amara Wainwright scored a team-best 13 points, while Cierra Johnson chipped in with 12. As a team, UTA shot 44 percent (23-for-52) from the floor.
UTA jumped out to a 9-2 lead midway through the first quarter before HBU used a 13-5 run to take a 15-14 lead with 30 seconds remaining. UTA's LaShanda Green hit a layup with seven seconds left to give the Lady Mavericks a one-point lead after the first quarter.
Strickland was a key component in the game, with seven points and six rebounds in just 10 minutes. But 33 seconds into the second quarter, she picked up her second foul and had to sit on the bench. UTA would take advantage and used a 15-0 run to take a 31-15 lead with 2:41 left in the first half. With 90 seconds left in the quarter, Neal was fouled and made both free throws, ending the run. She then stole the ball and scored on a layup, the first field goal for the Huskies in the quarter. The teams entered halftime with UTA leading, 32-19.
Neal and Johnson led their respective teams with eight first-half points. HBU shot 36 percent in the half compared to 43 percent for UTA.
Down 11 with 6:23 remaining in the third quarter, HBU went on a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to five, 36-31, following a
Heidi Sihvola jumper. The Lady Mavericks increased their lead back to 11, but Neal cut the deficit back to single digits with a trey at the top of the key with 28 seconds left as HBU trailed, 43-35, entering the fourth quarter.
Unfortunately for the Huskies, the fourth quarter was eerily similar to the second, as UTA outscored HBU, 21-5, and the Huskies shot just 1-for-8 from the floor. UTA scored nine points off of seven HBU turnovers.
HBU (4-5) ends the non-conference schedule Monday, Dec. 28 at 2 p.m. versus Huston-Tillotson.
