Box Score

Alpine, TX - Their nickname is Wildcats, but the Louisiana College Wildcats women's basketball team has learned how to become road warriors this 2014-15 season.

Yet to play a game at home this season due to the renovations taking place at H.O. West Field House, the Lady Cats improved to 4-2 in the American Southwest Conference and 7-2 overall with a hard-fought 77-72 win over Sul Ross State in Alpine, Texas. 

Nursing a lead almost the entire night, the Wildcats saw the Lobos tie the game at 55-55 with 8:53 to play on a 3-point basket by Miranda Roberts and then take the two-point lead on their next possession when Roberts stole the ball and scored on a layup.

Amanda Garza gave Sul Ross its largest lead of the game, 59-55, on a layup with 7:36 to play before the Wildcats rallied with 3-point baskets from Kaci Willis and Karylon Thornton to tie the game at 61-61 with 6:08 left.

The teams would trade baskets over the game's next five minutes before LC took the lead for good, 74-72, on Danish Allison's rebound basket off an Anna Phillips miss with :28 left in the game. The Wildcats then put the game away with two free throws from Neka Jones and one more by Allison to give LC its final winning margin.

Allison was a force inside all game for the Wildcats, as she finished with 20 points on 8-of-9 from the floor and 4-of-8 at the line to go along with eight rebounds. Jones finished with 13 points, two steals and two assists and Willis had 12 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

Rebounds were key to the Wildcats' victory. LC out-rebounded the Lobos 52-35, including a 21-5 margin in offensive rebounds that also gave the Wildcats a 20-7 edge in second chance points.

 In the first half, the Wildcats jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead on a layup by Willis at the 18:11 mark and built their largest lead of the half, ten points, on a Willis jumper with 12:57 left to make it 18-8.

The Lobos responded with a 7-2 run to cut the lead to 20-15 on Gabriela Meraz's 3-point shot with 9:32 in the half. The Wildcats pushed that lead back to ten before Sul Ross made a late run in the half.  Roberts' 3-point shot with 1:56 left brought the Lobos to within two, 32-30, with 1:56 left. Thornton's layup with :36 left gave LC a 37-33 lead at halftime.

Up next for the Wildcats is yet another road game, this Saturday, Jan. 10 at 1 p.m. in Brownwood, Texas against Howard Payne University.