Box Score
They may have already clinched the American Southwest Conference regular season championship, but the University of Texas-Tyler women's basketball team was anything but complacent in their 73-67 win over Louisiana College Thursday at H.O. West Fieldhouse.
 
The Wildcats, the preseason pick to win the ASC, showed again the problems that have plagued them all season – namely the lack of inside presence and terribly inconsistent shooting – as they suffered their fourth home loss of the season to drop to 14-9 overall, 12-8 in the ASC.
 
"We missed 22 shots within 10 feet of the rim," an exasperated LC coach Jason Tinsley said following the loss. "As Bill Walton said during the broadcast of the Arizona State against Arizona game Friday – and he's just repeating John Wooden – offense wins championships. (In basketball), if you're going to win championships, you have to be able to score." 
 
For Texas-Tyler, the scoring came much easier in a game dominated on the inside by the Patriots who outscored LC 42-26 in the paint, shot 68-percent from the floor (15 of 22) in the second half with mostly point blank shots, and out-rebounded the Wildcats 51-30. The Patriots, who improved to 21-3 on the season and 19-2 in the ASC, were led by junior center Brittany King, who finished with 27 points and 16 rebounds before fouling out with 2:55 to play and her team leading by eight.
 
"We had no answer for (King)," Tinsley said. "We're small. We have to defend by committee in the post. We couldn't defend her."
 
King's departure seemed to spark one final shot for LC, but the Wildcats would get no closer than five as they missed several opportunities to draw even closer in the final moments while also losing juniors Danisha Allison and Skylar Chenevert to foul-outs.
 
Despite trailing at halftime by three, 33-30, the Wildcats put themselves in a quick hole to start the second half.  LC would get just a free throw in the first three minutes, while Tyler used a 9-1 run to open a double digit lead again, 42-31, with 17:07 to play.
 
LC's only real run came with under 10 minutes to go – a 7-0 spurt keyed by LC's leading scorers, junior Neka Jones who finished with 16 points and freshman Natosha Morvant who added 15. Morvant's steal and basket with 7:08 to play cut Tyler's lead to 56-50, but LC could get no closer.


King was dominant from the start of the first half – scoring five of Tyler's first nine points as the Patriots built a quick 9-2 lead. The Wildcats, as they have done all too often this season, struggled to shoot the ball well in the early stages, missing 9 of their first 12 shots. But, after failing to score through the game's first four minutes, LC used a 10-3 run to take at 10-9 lead. 
 
Another Wildcats scoring drought allowed the Patriots to build the lead again. Tyler used an 8-0 run to regain the lead, 17-10, and upped it to 21-12 as LC failed to score a field goal over another five-minute stretch. In the meantime, King was taking control of the game – using her inside presence – both on the boards and shooting the ball. Her 19 points and 12 rebounds in the first half were key to Tyler building its largest lead, 33-23, with 3:30 left to play in the first half.
 
If nothing else, the Wildcats showed resilience in the half – closing strong with back-to-back 3-point shots from Neka Jones and Baylie Butler to close within 3, 33-30, at halftime. At that point, there was no question where the game was being won. At half, the Wildcats were outscored 20-8 in the paint and outrebounded 28-17.
 
The Wildcats have just two regular season games remaining – at home Saturday against Ozarks and Monday at Mississippi College – before traveling to Tyler, Texas next weekend for the ASC Tournament. The Wildcats will be no worse than the No. 5 seed, hardly a consolation for a team that won four consecutive ASC East titles previously.
 
"Their confidence is shaken," Tinsley admitted of his team. "My confidence is shaken. What do you do to get out of your own way? What do you do? I have a great group of girls. They're good girls off the floor. I feel bad for them. It's just not falling our way right now."